What a Moose on the Loose in CT Got Me Thinking about...Treading Lightly and Keeping One's Thinking KAPP On

Another moose on the loose...and a good reason to drive slowly..watch for the moose, deer, bear, sows, cows (that can get out if memory serves),frogs and logs (not enough frogs and too many falling branches even when it's not windy.) Willows and pines can snap when they're ready and people may not be by the way.

We had a near-miss miracle occur once when a huge section of the willow in our Sharon yard came down to our front porch door (just as I was trying to figure out what that earth-shattering sound was...)and our three kids were playing happily about 20 feet away on their homemade swing set...Not too many years later, a beer truck was speeding down Rt 4 past the nature center. Our 7 year old was about to cross to get on the bus, and thankfully the savvy driver, Matt Mette, was able to spot the oncoming disaster in his rearview mirror...and yell for Shannon to 'Get Back!".

She hightailed it back to the driveway (where her Dad was getting back in his car thinking she was all set so missed the pending upset...) No one met their end that morning, and thankfully Kaelan had headed to the Bronx Zoo on his third grade class field trip that very morning around 7:30am so was not in his usual leader role to cross and also not complicating the situation further. I still honor Matt each June though he doesn't want a lot of attention for That save of the day...

Then as Kaelan finished his first year of high school at HVRHS, another set of events unfolded which claimed his life.(More on this on Google, and Remembering Kaelan Alexander Palmer Paton, KAPP)

Unfortunately with too many adults okaying a trip to the Falls and option to go in if 'they found a place that seemed safe...'. We need to re-write both the guidelines for what might be okay in terms of 'going to the river' (and that's basically Not to Go even within 50' of the edge without a clear set of permissions from the powers that be..one's own common sense but also as minors, Your Parents (especially yo' Mama's) and Community Guidelines which should be like that of the Scouts etc...and err on the side of Not Going In or Near Water without life jackets, life guards (competent, sober, and again safety-minded people, sections of a river and skilled guidance if any question...and There's always a buddy system and cell phone and throw ropes etc if anywhere near rivers, lakes and so on...)

These and other safety and parenting guidelines likely could become a National and International Standard of Safety and Common Sense (as well as noting laws and fines which may impact people given local regulations...) The responsibility for posting safety and "no swimming signs' and warnings of danger in such areas is that of the towns, a lifeguard told me. Why not get those kinds of talks happening in an array of settings as winter comes round and then fine tune as the next seasons come round when it's hard to think and keep track of kids and others out for an adventure...

And Thanks In Advance for Living in Balanced Ways that Reflect the Beauty and Worth of Everyone.. Kind and Careful is the New Cool and can be the rule at school and in life... "Can you hear what I'm saying.." as the sentiment was asked and shared by many at a local activism concert in Central Park..and sadly which most of the country is pondering now after the Las Vegas tragedy. We all can up our game of keeping an eye out for each other and Ourselves..asking for help, doing what we can to live reasonably and tune into the bigger issues in groups and social media and with a few timely calls and donations. It all adds up to a better game and way of life