It's a Mindset

Friends, if I've said this once, I'll say it a thousand more times!  Being single is NOT a death sentence, a plague or the worst thing that could ever happen to you.  It's also not the most depressing, sad, pathetic position you could find yourself in.  (Some of you need to watch the nightly news and get over yourself).  Just sayin'.

It's tragic to me how many people, including some of my friends, become so depressed sitting around toiling over not being part of a couple.  Personally, I think it's much more depressing to be in a "couple" situation which brings heartache and misery.  I always say, "it's better to be single than wish you were".  I'm not trying to be insensitive.  I get it.  Some of you have been waiting a long time. But, life is short.  You decide how you live it in the midst of your circumstance.

So, single friends, listen up!  I understand it can be lonely sometimes, but if you truly have a faith which promises "God gives us the desires of our hearts", then fear no more!  Because if your desire is to be married one day (or again), it's not a question of "if" this will happen, it's "when".

So, in the waiting, why not make the most of it?  Here are just a few suggestions.

Spend more time with God.
Find a Church.
Learn to know yourself better.
Figure out your purpose.
Dance around the house naked (works best with 70's music for me!).
Leave the door open when you use the toilet.
Sing loudly, not just in the shower.
Take up a hobby.
Learn a new craft.
Take trips.
Visit historical places.
Go to a Museum.
Go to the Library.
Spend time cultivating the relationships you already have in your life.
Spend quality time with friends, children or grandchildren.
Take up a sport.
Go on a hike.
Sleep in.
Eat out.
Learn how to cook.
Go to a concert.
Go to a movie.
Take a new job.
Skip that shower today (just today!).
Don't wear make-up.
Gain those extra few pounds (just not too many!).
Splurge on yourself.
Watch those Hallmark Movies.
Watch Sports all day.
Leave those dishes in the sink.
Pray for your future mate daily.
Start living.
Don't miss out on your life.

My point?  Being single is what you make of it.  Your "person" is out there and will show up right on time.  When he/she does, you'll have someone else to consider than yourself, so why not enjoy some "you" time while you have plenty of opportunity to do so?

For whatever reason, accept this is God's plan for you right now.  It's a season. He really does know what He's doing.  I mean, He is God, after all.

If you're a woman, stop pursuing a man.  Begin developing the self-esteem you need to help you understand you're worth being pursued.

If you're a man, suck it up, stop being a coward and ask her out!  If she says no, it's not the end of the world!

Above all, trust God.  Trust He knows what and who is best for you.  He knows when you're both ready for one another.  Your "person" is coming.  That "person" deserves a "whole" you.  He/She needs you to be ready when you find one another.

In the meantime, enjoy your "alone" time because one day, believe it or not, you'll miss it.

I'm going back to bed now.  :)

THANKFUL

Growing up with the parents I had, who did the best they knew how, I was determined to do things different with my own children. Yet, I'm not one of those people who believes bad behaviors should always be blamed on the parents. But, in light of things going on around our country today, it's caused me to reflect on my own parenting skills. I'm very thankful for the choices I made raising my four daughters, who are now all grown women. Although, I'd change some things, I'd do most of it all over again.

Believe me, I screwed up too, but overall witnessing the kinds of wives, mothers, friends, hard workers and the people they've become, I'd say I got most of it right, with God's help. Although my parenting decisions weren't always popular and sometimes painful, I'm thankful I required my daughter's to earn money to purchase things they wanted, rather than always giving them everything they asked for. I'm thankful I taught them good work ethic and the power of saving. I'm thankful I taught them to always do their best to honor their word.

I'm thankful I taught them to leave a place better than they found it. I'm thankful I taught them they would be rewarded for good choices, not bad ones. I'm thankful I taught them when they messed up, it wasn't the end of the world. I'm thankful I taught them "No" wasn't a bad word, even when it hurt. I'm thankful I taught them admitting you're wrong and apologizing is humbling and good for the soul. I'm thankful l taught them not to hold grudges.

I'm thankful I taught them to choose friends wisely. I'm thankful I taught them to fight for what they believe, while respecting others. I'm thankful I taught them I cared more about who they were becoming than trying to be the "popular" parent. I'm thankful I taught them their weight or a bad hair day didn't determine their worth. I'm thankful I taught them the value and gift of losing. I'm thankful I taught them to love themselves, others and be generous givers.

I'm thankful I taught them it's OK to get knocked down, as long as they get back up. I'm thankful I taught them about God's forgiveness and grace. I'm thankful I taught them the wisdom they'll never be perfect. I'm thankful I taught them they weren't better than anyone else. I'm thankful I gave them permission to hate me when they needed to.

And, I'm thankful I recognized my girls needed a mother guiding them, not one trying to be their best friend. What proof do I need in whether or not I made the best parenting choices raising my girls?

Well, one just needs to meet and know them to have that answer.

"I'm Great, Except When I'm Magnificent"

I just had the most incredible week.   My little sister, Brenda, and I just spent six days in Bar Harbor, Brewer and Bangor, Maine. I visited these places as a child once, but remember very few details from that trip as a 6 year old. 

My father, Robert Mayo Robinson, was born in Bar Harbor, then moved to Bangor when he was around 8 years old. He then lived right across the river in Brewer and graduated from Brewer High School in 1958, where he was extremely popular and excelled in both football and baseball. He and his teammates led the "Brewer Witches" to a State Championship in 1957. 

Ever since Dad died 11 years ago, Brenda, myself and our brother, Robbie, have talked about visiting the places Dad grew up.  We've always been so curious about our father.  He rarely spoke about his troubled childhood. 

It was a year of planning, but the time finally came. Since Dad was such an avid runner, running Marathon's across the country, we thought it would be cool to run the Mt. Desert Marathon in Bar Harbor to honor him. 

Our registrations for the race were paid months ago, plane tickets were bought and the hotel was booked.  Unfortunately, due to some last minute scheduling conflicts, Robbie wouldn't be able to make the trip. 

Brenda and I had no intentions of cancelling.  We were disappointed our brother wouldn't be with us, but there was no way we were going to back out.  This was too important to both of us. 

I'm so thankful we saw it through. From the moment we arrived, we were filled with excitement and anticipation. As we drove through Brewer, we kept wondering "Did Dad walk on this street?", "Do you think Dad went here?" "Do you think this building or house was here when Dad was?", "I wonder if he ate at this place?"  It went on and on all day! We were both feeling so connected to him. 

Brenda brought along a letter Dad had received decades ago from one of his many female admirers, so we started there.  The letter was addressed to an address on Holyeoke Street in Brewer.  Thanks to GPS, we easily found the white, two story house! As we sat out front, we imagined him walking in the front door. It was surreal. 

We referred to ourselves as "Nancy Drew Detectives", as we successfully found his high school, the homes he lived in, and discovered his 1957 State Championship Trophy, which stands proudly in the glass case at the now new high school. 

As we drove into Bar Harbor, we passed one of his favorite restaurants, "Lunts", which apparently has the best lobster around. We weren't able to eat there since they were closed. 

Every mile we drove, Dad was on our mind. Every, single one.  

In Bar Harbor, we visited "Sonagee". This is the former Atwater-Kent Estate where our great-grandparents worked as the cook and groundskeeper. Kent Atwater was a wealthy radio inventor tycoon.  Dad spent a lot of time there as a child. He was very close to "Mimi" and "Gaga", as he called them. It's now a nursing home, but that wasn't going to stop us from entering the building and walking the grounds. The same grounds Gaga meticulously took care of with great detail. We saw the boathouse that used to be attached to a pier that stretched over the ocean. Brenda told the story of how Dad, as a young boy, walked to the end of that pier, left his clothes on the dock and hid underneath to scare his parents and grandparents into believing he'd drowned! He was always a prankster. 

We even learned our great-grandfather, "Gaga", had actually been a police officer before taking over the duties at the Atwater-Kent Estate. 

Brenda also brought a picture of the house our father was brought home to following his birth. We only had a street name and a picture to go on. This took some patience, as we drove down Ledgelawn Avenue in Bar Harbor, searching and studying every house on the street, trying to line up windows and roofs from the picture we held in our hands.  Finally, I spotted it. I told Brenda "This is the house!" It had been painted yellow, but the structure looked the same.  There were men in the yard doing some remodeling, but I knew it was the house!  As we got out of our rental car, a woman walked out of the front door.  We approached showed her the picture and told her our story. She said "This picture is from a long time ago, but yes, this is our house."  We were overwhelmed. She graciously invited us inside and told us the floors and corner shelves were original. We actually walked on the same floors our father did as a child. We were absolutely elated!  We ended up driving by this house several more times during our stay.  We couldn't help it.

Afterwards, we drove to the hospital, Mt. Desert Hospital, where our father was born. It was all so surreal. 

We decided to go to the library and search for anything relevant.  We ended up discovering where the graves of our great grandparents, Liston and Alma Mayo, aka "Gaga and Mimi" were laid to rest!  Brenda and I couldn't wait to make the trip to the cemetery in Somesville the next day!  We were on a roll!

It was a beautiful drive to the Mt. View Cemetery.  It sat on the side of the road.  If you weren't looking for it, you'd most likely miss it, but we were determined.  We jumped out of the car and immediately began walking the grounds looking for them.  We were so surprised and excited to see the graveyard filled with people who shared the last name of "Mayo" and "Higgins".  "Mayo" was our Dad's mother's maiden name and there were relatives everywhere!  We've since found out we're related to the Higgins' families as well!  Brenda and I were so excited, reading the headstones and learning of our newfound ancestors.  After about 15 minutes, Brenda yelled to me, "I found them!"  I ran across the cemetery, careful where my feet landed, and there it was.  The gravestone my father had purchased years before.  It read "Liston and Alma Mayo".  We stood there for a little while and told them hello.  We were so proud of ourselves.  We set a goal and made it.  It was surreal spending time there with ancestor's we'd barely known or never met.

When our Dad was alive, he made it very clear to all of us that when he died he wanted to be buried in Maine beside "Mimi" and Gaga".  He'd even written this in his own hand on a makeshift will.  Unfortunately, the woman he was married to at the time he passed away, refused to allow him to be buried there.  Instead, she placed his urn in a vault beside a man he despised.  To this day, this still infuriates me, even more so after visiting this cemetery where so many of my father's relatives have been laid to rest.  He wanted to be with his family, with the people he loved and cherished the most.    

The next day, just when we thought we had done it all, Brenda received a text from Nancy, Dad's 2nd wife. Nancy knew we were searching for anything and anyone associated with our Dad.  She told us about one of Dad's childhood friends. She said he used to live in Bar Harbor, but she didn't know if he was still there or even still alive. Nancy told us Dad visited this friend every year and they spoke regularly when Dad was alive.  They'd been best friends since 5th grade.  She gave us his name.  That's all we needed.  His name was Jimmy McInnis. 

I pulled the car over and immediately got online.  We checked yellowpages.com and found him. Unbeknownst to us, we'd already passed his house several times throughout the week and hadn't even known it!

I dialed his number and got his answering machine.  I explained who we were, what we were doing and asked if he was the same Jimmy McInnis who knew our father, Bob Robinson.  Then, I hung up.  We were only two blocks from his house, so we made the decision to drive to his house and knock on the door. We figured we had nothing to lose. 

As we pulled onto his street, our phone was ringing! It was Jim's wife, Donna. She said they knew exactly who we were, but Jim was overcome with emotion and couldn't talk. He finally got on the phone and asked me if we'd like to come over. We told him we were already seconds away!

As we drove up, Jim and Donna were waiting for us on the porch. They were both crying. We were too. Jim could barely walk and needed assistance.  He was overwhelmed.  He said we looked just like our Dad.

It was an emotional, beautiful moment for all of us. Brenda and I would spend the next 3 hours with Jim and Donna hearing about our father, the trouble they got into as kids and how much he loved and missed him.   We FaceTimed our brother Robbie, so he could meet Jim too.  He sobbed again as he spoke with our brother.  He couldn't believe how much Robbie looked, sounded and acted like our Dad.  It was precious.

I can't begin to describe how my sister and I felt as we left Jim and Donna's home.  We were walking on clouds! We'd just spent hours with a man who knew our Dad well, long before we'd even made an appearance on this earth.  We left with the promise to visit again soon.  Brenda and I are already planning our next trip back and hoping our brother will make it next time.

All the emotions we'd been experiencing all week and now, it was race day.  The morning started early at 7 am. We had until 3 pm to finish the Mt. Desert Relay Marathon or we wouldn't medal.  This wasn't an option for us. We crossed the finish line at 12:07!  It was one of the hardest things I've ever done in my life.  The hills were treacherous, but the scenery was spectacular.  Quitting wasn't part of the plan, so we both persevered.  When I found myself feeling I couldn't go on, I felt my Dad's presence with me, cheering me on.  I would talk to him and ask him for help.  I truly felt him with me.

This trip changed me.  It made me want to listen more, paying more attention to what and who's around me.  It caused me to reflect on how short life really is.  All the places we visited where Dad had once been are still there, yet he's gone.  Brenda and I talked of how we wished we'd made this trip with Dad before he'd died so he could have shared this part of his life with us.  He was such a storyteller and would have engaged us with the stories of his youth.  If only we could go back in time.

One thing's for sure.  Dad would have LOVED that we took a week out of our lives to visit the people and places he loved.  He would have felt so special to know how much we cared to connect with his past.  He would laugh at our "Nancy Drew Detective" work!  He would have been proud.  

Our last day in Maine still brought another sweet surprise.  We stopped at a quaint restaurant called "Coach House" for a delicious breakfast.  As we were paying our bill, the sweet lady behind the counter asked us where we were from. We told her our story about Dad, running the race in his honor and visiting the places he grew up. She asked, "Well, who was your Dad?"  We told her, "Robbie Robinson, he graduated from Brewer High School in 1958."  The smile on her face was priceless.  "Robbie Robinson?!?  I knew your Dad! He and my husband were good friends and one of his best friends, Everett, comes in here every Friday!"  The perfect ending to a perfect trip.

This week was special for so many reasons.  Not only was I able to share it with my best friend, my sister, Brenda, it was special because we were able to share it with our Dad.  

I leave you with this.  Jimmy, as Dad would call him, told us every time he asked Dad how he was doing, he would answer, "I'm Great, except when I'm Magnificent!"

How DID we get here?!

I try to stay away from this political mess as best I can. These are my thoughts, not yours, nor am I looking for you to agree with or argue with me either. My take on the top two candidates is this. Who they are and what they represent says much more about us and who we've become.

I see posts about "how did we get here", "is this the best we can do?", etc. etc. Well, each of us who've been able to vote for the past 30+ years need to take a long look in the mirror. And, please make no mistake, I'm including myself in this "we" category. We created this embarrassing, atrocious atmosphere of an election.

We're the ones who haven't held our appointed officials to a higher standard. We've been so lackadaisical about what's going on in the world around us, who's running what and how and so caught up in our own little bubbles we've forgotten, or worse, not even cared about what's been happening right in front of us or in our own backyards.

We've also helped create the biased media by not holding them accountable to the facts and truth of everyone involved, not just those they choose to promote. It is a privilege to live here, the greatest country on the planet, yet we've taken advantage and not done our part to protect it, our families or future generations.

We are the ones who should be ashamed of ourselves its come this far. Think about it. One of these candidates is a corrupt criminal, who has no regard for life or people, a person who lies constantly to save her own $#%@ and those she's in bed with, while the other is a man who uses insults and vulgarity, has a huge ego and is known more for being one of the biggest reality television stars in the world.

Neither one of these people, nor anyone else running for the highest office in the land, gets me excited or makes me feel like a proud American. My heart is grieved. What's happened is not God's fault. It's ours! God has given us chance after chance after chance to fight for and change the direction of this country, yet we've grown lazy and complacent.

My prayer is this election is waking a sleeping giant. The government will not save this country, nor will cowardly politicians, who care more about themselves than the constituents they swore to represent. We must begin to hold these men and women accountable. They work for us, not the other way around!

If we don't take our country back, our children and grandchildren will grow up in a place no longer recognizable or respected, with no sense of values or morality.

Yes, I will be voting in this election, but not with the same excitement and hope I've felt in the past. I will continue to pray for the best, whatever the outcome. The God I serve is who I place my trust, not in any one candidate.

God bless the U.S.A. God bless us all.

Perfect Life?!?! Lies, all lies.

This morning I met a friend for breakfast.  We had such an interesting, engaging conversation throughout our two hour visit.  One of my greatest pleasures in life is good, honest, open communication and conversation.

As we were talking, we came to an observation.  Too many people aren't real.  They're pretending to have the perfect life, marriage, relationships, career or constantly trying so hard to convince others they are themselves perfect people.   Some use social media as their platform or outlet to create a false sense or picture of who they really are or what they may be struggling through.  In no way am I advocating airing all your dirty laundry, but how can we expect to truly connect or ask others to relate to us if we're spending more time "pretending" than being authentic?

This afternoon, as I was receiving an incredibly, relaxing, deep tissue massage, this got me thinking.  I began to reflect on my own life and how others view it and I was reminded of something.  I thought writing a new blog would be an opportunity to set the record straight.

I've received many messages from well meaning people telling me it seems I live a charmed, perfect life.  Oh, how I beg to differ.  Just because these messages may be flattering and stroke my ego a little bit doesn't make them true.  Please don't hear what I'm not saying.  Yes, I'm blessed, even on a bad day. I'm breathing, I have my health, a career I love, a great family and good friends.  I'm a pretty upbeat, positive person, who believes in the cup half full.  Even when things are not going my way, I do my best to see the good, although, I don't always succeed.

In no way am I complaining about my life or looking for sympathy, but my life is not how some may perceive and there's always room for improvement.

I struggle just like the rest of you.  My issues may not be the same as yours, but they're still issues, nonetheless.

Here are just a few, (I said a few!), examples.

I have four adult daughters.  I still inquire into their lives probably more than I should, offer my opinion when I shouldn't and piss them off from time to time.  It's not unusual for one of them or even more at the same time, to be upset with me.  And, it's also common, when they're angry with me, I won't hear from them for days, a week or even longer.  Sure, we have very close relationships, filled with mutual respect and admiration and we love one another very much, but we still have our bad days.

I'm 52 years old and divorced.  It's been four years since my last serious relationship and it can get lonely.  Sure, I've gone on dates and met interesting men, some are still my friends.  A couple times, my interest was highly piqued, but timing was off, schedules complicated or things just didn't work out.  I've wonderered if I'll ever meet a man I'd be willing to give up my singleness for.  So far, nope. I'm not complaining about being single either.  I'd rather be single than miserable and I'm not miserable.  But, being single at my age does cause you to think about things like growing old alone or having to rely on my children to take care of me.  Neither of these scenarios are appealing to me.  But, I refuse to settle for a mediocre relationship, nor do I expect to find a perfect one either.

My career is stressful.  I'm in the non-profit field, constantly fundraising and pitching, in hopes others will catch the vision of how our organization is making a difference helping others, which hopefully inspires them to give.  I'm full aware the "buck stops here", so to speak, with me.  If I don't do my job, an entire organization suffers, including my staff, volunteers and most importantly, our clients.  At times, this has kept me up at night.

Let's face it, I'm not getting any younger.  I wouldn't give up the wisdom, confidence and security I have at my age for any amount of money, but things change as we age.  There's no escaping this fact. Sometimes, I forget what I was wearing yesterday!  No, I wouldn't trade the wisdom which comes with age, but the rest of it? You can keep it.  Getting older just sucks.

So, the next time you think I or anyone else you're stalking on social media has the perfect life, kids, or career, think again.

My Dad always said, "Baby Girl, there's always going to be someone whose got more money than you do, is better looking than you are and has an easier life than you've got, but, never forget, there's always someone who has it a little bit worse too."

All in all, I love my life.  I wouldn't trade it for anything.  But, perfect?  Not even close.

Posers of Perfect Parenting

The horrific tragedy which has taken place at the Disney World Resort has rocked my world.  A beautiful, 2 year old boy vacationing with his parents and sister at a Disney Resort is wading in the water of a man made lake on the property, while his father stands beside him.  Other guests relax on lounge chairs nearby, waiting for the fireworks to begin.  The child's mother and sister are close by as the unimaginable happens.  In an instant, this little boy is snatched up by an alligator and being dragged under the water.  His frantic father tries to wrestle his son away from the alligator, but the creature is too much for this, or any man, to handle.  Helplessly, this father is made forced to watch as his son is taken away to a sure death, while his mother is screaming for help.  It's a literal horror movie in real time.

Who could fathom being on summer vacation enjoying time outside your resort as you're waiting for fireworks to begin, that an alligator would come out of the water, grab your baby, drag him under it and take him? In a few short seconds, these lives were forever altered.  I shutter every time I think about it.

As a grandmother of a 2 year old, I can't stop thinking about this beautiful, little blue eyed boy named Lane, who was most likely talking, enjoying his family, laughing and making funny sounds or faces, embracing life. This age is so much fun, as I cherish every moment I spend with my little grandson Shepard, who is the same age.

I think about this little boys' own "Mimi", who, of course, adored him and most likely had a special relationship with him, as I do my own grandson.  I think about his big sister who loved having a baby brother and I imagine this little boy's excited face each day when his big sissy came home from school.  I can picture him running to his Daddy when he'd return home from work or wanting his Mommy to rock him to sleep. These are the moments I've witnessed in our own family since Shepard has come into our lives, so I can't help believe this family experienced the same.

This is an unbelievably, shocking, horrendous, tragic accident, yet I've seen so many cast blame on these parents saying things like, "Where were his parents?" or "I would never have let that happen to my child!"

If you're one of those so hungry for the blame game, have at it.  You have lots to choose from because there are plenty of neglectful parents in the world.  Try blaming the parents who drive drunk or high with their children in the car, who pay the ultimate price for their parent's selfish mistake.  Go ahead and blame the parents who physically, emotionally or sexually assault their children.  These parents deserve a special place in hell.  Or how about the parents who leave their children home alone to party all night and a fire breaks out and kills them all.  I could go on and on.  Unfortunately, there are plenty of stories I could list here.  But, blaming these parents for what happened to their son is outrageous and deplorable to me.  This was a horrible, unfortunate accident, yet some of you get off demonize them?  You self-righteous, pathetic trolls! In my opinion, you are deviant, vile and despicable and I'm so sick of you and fed up with your holier than thou, perfect parent, pompous, know-it-all, attitude!

This could have been any of us.  This beach is very inviting to its guests, with lounge chairs for relaxing by the water, giving off a false sense of security.  Nowhere were signs indicating the dangers that lurked beneath the water, only a few feet away.

This little boy could have been your son or grandson.  Yet, some of you continue to villianize his parents?   Have you no compassion in your heart?!  It's no wonder the country we reside is continues to prove it's filled heartless people.  Your wicked comments say much more about who you are as a person than these parents, whom you choose to criticize.

Incidents like this child's death or even the shootings that took place just a few days prior at The Pulse Nightclub in Orlando remind us what a cruel world we live in.   And, I'm not just talking about the sick, evil, demented shooter.  I'm talking as well of those who've cast judgement and hatred towards those killed making idiotic comments such as "they deserved it" or "this is God's wrath on gay people"!  The families of these loved ones will never be the same. They are in excruciating pain, yet some people have no problem adding to their misery by passing unfair judgement or offering their insensitive remarks.

I ask myself.  How will these parents ever get the image of an alligator snatching their baby boy out of their mind?  The pain I've experienced for this family has been overwhelming and I don't even know these people!  I can't imagine their own.  How do you go home from visiting the "happiest place on earth" without your baby?!  How do you walk into his bedroom, see his clothes or toys?! How?!  I can't even comprehend it.

Yet, some people have even demanded DSS investigate these parents and take their daughter away, claiming them unfit?  I've read way too many harsh comments towards these parents and they've enraged me. One from an ignorant woman encouraging Disney World to sue this child's parents for bringing bad press to their resort?! Who the hell are you people?!  This family is going to need support beyond anything we can imagine, not judgment or condemnation!

You so-called "quarterback parents" are brave behind your computers and so quick to judge.  I wonder how many of you are parents at all!  I'd like to pose a question to you.  If one day you had the opportunity to meet these parents or others like them who've lost children in tragic accidents, would you be so brash to their face to say the same things you quickly type away safely on your computer?   You coward!  I think not.  These parent's are NOT to blame for any of this.  I would put the blame where it belongs, on Disney World.

If I saw a "No Swimming" sign on a beach where families were gathered, movies were playing and pools surrounded us, I'd believe the sign was there because lifeguard's weren't around.  Unless I was properly informed, I would NEVER believe it was because alligator's could snatch my child off the shore! There were NO warning signs about the danger of alligator's being in the area. NONE.

But, some of you still want to blame these grieving parents?  If that's what is in your heart, I would say you need as much prayer for your cold heart, as this family does for their grief.  I'm asking you to search your heart, admit you're wrong and please pray for this family, without condemning them.

Recently, it was reported Disney knew about the risk and dangers of the alligators all along?  They knew they were in the water and had been warned something like this could happen, yet they did NOTHING!?

These parent's aren't to blame for what happened to their son.   The blame lies elsewhere.

Shame on you, Walt Disney World.

Shame on you, Poser of Perfect Parenting

Shame on all of you.