Life For That

"He’ll probably get life for that." Those are the words I said to my sister as we learned my nephew just shot his girlfriend and a man they were attempting to rob in a lousy situation that rapidly turned into a nightmare.

As I hung up the phone and put my head in my hands, I wished I could say this was the first bit of trouble that my nephew had gotten into, but of course, it wasn't. You don't go from suburban teen to armed robber and first-degree murderer in one single leap. It started way back in his childhood with teenage parents unequipped to steer their own futures, let alone raise a baby boy. Like so many families similar to mine, it likely started generations before with people we can't even name.

A normal life for him was probably always just out of reach in the best of circumstances.

The best of circumstances is not what he had.

I know my nephew didn't intend to get life. Life is what gets you when you aren't paying attention.