Just like everyone else, I’ve watched the events unfold as the Casey Anthony trial was underway. Watching this emotionless, uncaring woman was enough to make my skin crawl and I was heartbroken thinking about the pain little Caylee suffered. And knowing that Casey had taken the life of her child was almost more than I could stand to think about. I know that I am not privvy to all of the facts shared with the jury and I know that there are circumstances that don’t quite fit together. But in my heart, I do believe that she took the life of her child.
My heart goes out to the jurors who endured the many days of trial and had to make such a heart-wrenching decision.
As Casey Anthony prepares for a life of freedom and being released within days, the tiny, frail, helpless body of her young daughter lies lifeless in a grave.
This didn’t have to happen.
And as a mother and grandmother, I cannot fathom how it did.
We are blessed when we have children to cherish, care for and love. They are a gift entrusted to us as parents and grandparents to nurture and protect. It is our responsibility, but also our desire, to create a safe, healthy, and happy home environment. But what happened to Casey and her mother and father? How did any of them allow this to happen?
Children are precious gifts. Emma (9), Connor (7), and Lily (2).
It’s evident that Casey partied, laughed, drank, danced, and lived it up, knowing that her daughter was dead. She viewed the life of her child as disposable and unimportant. And it’s as if she celebrated her new “freedom” from being a mother.
Did her mother and father go about their daily responsibilities and not wonder where their precious grandchild was? Did they not think they had a responsibility to call authorities for help? Were they part of the murderous cover-up? Is the entire family insane?
As I write these words, tears come to my eyes and I picture my own precious granddaughters and grandson. I see their tiny hands reaching out for support, help, love and encouragement. I envision their feelings of fear when the thunder is too loud or when they see a spider, and I think about how their mother and father, and grandparents, wrap their arms around them securely — letting them know they are safe. I think about the new things they learn every day, the sparkle in their eyes when they see a rainbow, the joy in their footsteps when they walk into the ice cream store, and the comfort they feel when they hear a hundred “I love you’s” every day.
Caylee will never have the opportunity to experience the joys of life and growing up. She won’t learn to read and write, express her feelings through art, master the many new technologies that amaze young children, or make a choice about whether she wants to be a teacher, a doctor, an artist, a mathematician, or a stay-at-home-mother. She can’t decide if she wants to travel the world, get married, or have children of her own. She won’t go to kindergarten graduation, the high school prom, or college.
Casey has made all of those choices for her.
We cannot change the past nor do anything to make Casey suffer and pay for the torment and anguish she has caused. We cannot punish her for the crimes she has committed because the courts have spoken – though many question if justice was done. We can only look forward and find ways to ensure that children everywhere are loved and protected. Whether it’s through volunteering with battered women’s shelters, serving as foster parents, donating money for children’s organizations that protect children, or other ways, we all need to look for ways to make a difference in the lives of children. We can reach out to those moms struggling to provide the care and resources children need, or be there for new moms who are learning to cope with post-partum feelings of distress. These are the best ways we can honor Caylee Anthony’s short life on earth.
Each week during the summer, my grandchildren and I have “Camp Gigi Day”, which is a day when I take my grandchildren out for lunch, an activity, some shopping and something they choose to do. We spent a fun day having pizza, walking around the mall, visiting a toy store, and then heading out for ice cream yesterday. As I sat with my young grandchildren enjoying a bowl of ice cream in Maggie Moo’s, we laughed and talked and told funny stories. They were playful and happy and I was thankful for these special times with them. As we were just about to leave, Connor looked up at me with his chocolate rimmed mouth and the broadest smile ever and said, “Gigi, this has been the best Camp Gigi day ever.”
Those are the memories I will keep with me always — precious memories that make me smile every day. Memories that remind me how precious the life of a child truly is.
“Each day of our lives we make deposits in the memory banks of our children.” ~ Charles Swindoll
Comment on this post