A mother in the middle of the street. Her nine-year-old son, shot, is lying dead. His name Cyon Paul. That mother's life has suddenly come to a halt because of the death of her son; unable to sleep or eat, wanting answers.
How can we not feel the pain of this mother, having what I term, her baby having his life snatched away in moments? May God give her the grace to deal with her loss.
While I greatly sympathise with Safiya Williams I could not help but notice Cyon in all his pictures displayed in the newspapers. I must say he does make a statement. You may see me as being old fashion but I believe children should always be children in every aspect of their lives. For example, the way they speak, the company they keep, even the way they are attired.
These behaviours indirectly make a statement and while we may ignore them, sometimes they materialise. That responsibility of check and balance is in the hand of the parents; they are the ones who must ensure that this happens. Children must be allowed to be children.
In today's society our children are exposed to everything, not just the good, but the same device that provides that which is good can also provide the bad. Parents must ensure that their children are not thrown into a world that is beyond their age only to see them self destruct, as many of them do.
I wonder what type of world Cyon was expose to? Did that have any impact on his life? These are pertinent question we should all ask and see if they relate to us in any way.
One of the worst fruit you can eat is one that is "force-ripe." Let us not do that to our children; let children be children, please.
Arnold Gopeesingh,
San Juan