Friday's Freelance: FREE FALL, Part Two

A month ago, Britney Spears was no more to me than a provocative image my eyes might have passed over while I perused magazine covers. I neither knew nor cared about her record-breaking sales, or heart-breaking story of titillating exhibitionism, substance abuse, and custody battle.

Then I read Through the Storm by Lynne Spears, Britney’s mom, and wandered around the internet to look at Britney.

Now I know. And now I care.

The public awes an star’s meteoric rise. A mother sees a precious baby in free fall. Lynne’s book revealed a mother not unlike myself. Her agony? Watching promoters and paparazzi prey on her naive child. Personal endeavor sacrificed for her daughter’s persona. Powerlessly watching her baby suffer the consequences of recklessness. Lingering shame for poor choices and numerous indiscretions.

Her story shames me with its reminder that though I’ve learned to exercise restraint in judging parents, words I’ve long forgotten still pain those they’ve pierced.

I discovered that though I’ll show compassion when I encounter my neighbor in the face of a vagrant, the image of God also lies in the face of a icon I’ve disdained rather than loved as myself.

I am freshly aware that as we hold doors open for our little birds to test their wings, we must continue to faithfully cultivate their trust even while we transfer more decisions into inexperienced hands.

Any control we exercise in the lives of ourselves or our children is control shared with us by our Creator. If we fail to trust in Him with all our hearts, lean not our own understanding, and acknowledge Him in all our ways, there is not one of us who does not risk plunging into free fall, whether named Britney Spears, King David, or Anne Lang Bundy.

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Copyright 2008, Anne Lang Bundy