sued

Since January our whole life has been taken over by tra info, dimia etc but yesterday the wind was knocked out of us and it no longer seems as important.

We live in a small village in Co. Meath in Ireland and i sure by now most people have seen Meath on the news and the horrific school bus accident that left three teenage dead. We have a 15 year old daughter who is in the same year as some of those girls would have been and she is studying for big exams at the moment. My husband and myself have spent the last 9 months pleading, shouting, begging, bribing etc at her to study and telling her how important these exams are and all the while we were organising references from ex-employers, filling in form after form, writing and shredding stat. decs and arguing with each other about whose turn was it to make the important phone calls, write the tra info etc.

Then yesterday we came down to earth with a bump. We don't live too far from were the accident happened and we know of the families of the girls who died and the injured.Watching the news bulletins today of the coffins of those young girls being taken home made me cry and made my heart break. This really put life into perspective. Don't get me wrong- we still want to go to Aus- now more than ever but if we don't get there it won't be the end of the world. Our world would have ended if we had sent our child to school and was now never going to see her again.

Tomorrow i will be organising stuff for tra again but when one of my children want a bit of attention i won't be telling them to wait until i've finished the page, i will be thanking God that i can make that sambo or listen to that crap knock knock joke and i will be saying a pray for those 10 parents who had all their hopes and dreams for the future shattered in one afternoon.

I hope i haven't depressed anyone too much but maybe every now and then we need something to make us realise what is most precious to us.

Sue

andrew63

Sue
Too true.
Didn't make the news here (or at least I never saw it). No doubt my wife will scan the Internet for details as we have close friends in Co. Meath with teenage daughters (Longwood) - was it near Longwood?

Andrew

AliMay

I'm touched by your post.
Suddenly our worries seem so insignificant.
Ali

YFitz

I saw this on the news last night (in Perth). You're right, it certainly does put everything into perspective. Makes you appeciate what's really important in life. Can't begin to imagine how those parents (and all the other parents who have lost children in various circumstances) must feel
Yv

purple rain

Touching thread........live for today and cherish what you have

tracey.d

It often takes a tragedy like this for us to realise what's important.

My thoughts are with those poor families.

Tracey.

noregrets

I had not heard this news either and to hear that such young people have died is tragic. my thoughts are with their families and friends.

putting things into perspective I watched one life last night,BBC 1 a 16 year old girl Rebbecca Williamson who died from cancer leaving her 3 year old daughter behind. It was heartbreaking to see this normal family cope with such an extraordinary and sudden young death.

I felt ashamed after watching it and couldn't even bring myself to log onto this forum to which I am addicted. But this morning the perspective is that yes we all asK daft questions and stress about things that are on a grander scale unimportant. But the one thing we all share is the desire to make thing happen hopefully for the better life is not a dress rehearsal and can be cruelly taken away with a moments notice.

George x

Bidd

Hi Sue,

Its a terrible tragedy. Our thoughts are with those poor girls' families and friends.

Bidd

mandi248

I hadn't seen any news either, but like you said it does make you realise what is important, I have a daughter the same age and she is also doing her exams, I've also nagged, bribed, goaded etc for her to do revision. Your thread has certainly made me think, it bought a lump to my throat. You just can't imagine what the parents must be going through. My heart goes out to them.

Chef69

Hi Sue,

I know how you feel. We live not far from there as well and a couple of the girl's in my daughters year knew the five girl's that were killed.My children get the school bus every day and for the last two days i have been watching the clock for their return. I cried for those poor families. The two oldest girls (leaving cert) students did not have to be in school. They only went in to do extra study for their exams. Five lives suddenly taken, it makes you feel grateful for what you have. I will still go to Australia , as this has just highlighted how inadequate the Government is, in taking care of our Children's future and safety.

For everybody out there reading this. Please make sure that your Children hear you say you Love them. They are the most important gift you will have ever been given.


Slan

Rooksie

Sue it sent a shiver down my spine also. it must have been about 10 years ago now but we had something similar over here with a school my cousin attended- hagley RC in the midlands. 13 children died aged around 12 years old. my cousin was in the actual bus that caught flames. they were on their way back from a music trip to london and to teacher either fell aslepp through exhaustion or misread a sign on the motorway - open verdict. the bus had benches down the sides not seats across which is now the law. the bus crashed into plant on the motorway. on impact, because my cousin was sat at the rear, she landed on top of the other children and was one of the first pulled out of the bus - this is the only reason she survived. 13 of her classmates died either at the scene or in hospital. it made news all over the world and was devastating.

when i saw what happened in ireland it brought it all back to me - and im sure it sent a shiver down my cousin's spines and her parents also.

it certainly does make you realise the things that are important and sometimes i think the whole immigration process can go sh*t for all i care!

jac x

JackTheLad

I take it I'm the only one who had to re-read the above sentences a few times? I know this is slightly off topic, but does that pass for normal these days? A 16 year old with a 3 year old kid.

BTW what kind of cancer was it. Certain types are more likely if sexual activity begins at an early age.

JTL

Rooksie

This was front page news on monday:

SISTERS Jemma, Natasha and Jade Williams proudly pose with their tots - after getting pregnant aged 12, 16 and 14. The three girls and their children ...
:scared:

noregrets

yes I know what you mean i pondered a while before using the word normal perhaps I should have been totally UN PC and said working class. I also said extraordinary which included coping with a 13 year old who gets pregnant and a year later is diagnosed with terminal cancer and dies at 16. And no the cancer was not related to her sexual activity.

I have a 12 year old daughter myself and would like most parents be mortified to think that she is about to become sexually active - I just thought the story was even more poignant given that she had a child at such a young age and the died at such a you age - him upstairs moves in mysterious ways.

george x

Juliecabs

I agree with everyone on here (and I'm sitting writing this with tears dripping down my face). This is a terrible tragedy that should never have happened. As the mother of 3 teenagers who sometimes drive me crazy but who I love more than anything, I can't begin to imagine what they are all going through. The law about seatbelts in coaches isn't in force in the Republic of Ireland according to the news. I think it's about time the rules were changed. My thoughts and prayers go out to all the families and friends concerned.

Julie