Keep the Lights Shining Bright

The other night my husband noticed that one of the five lawn stars was not shining brightly. Upon further examination, he discovered that someone had intentionally cut the wires. He was pretty steamed up and I couldn't blame him.

In fact, it was me who said a couple of weeks ago, "Why do you even bother lighting the house and property up? It takes you three days to do it and costs us too much in electricity. It's not like the kids are small anymore and we won't be having grandchildren visiting us anytime soon. So why do you bother?"

At that time his response was something to the effect of, "Bother? You think spreading good cheer throughout this miserable neighborhood is a bother? I don't mind the time it takes. I like seeing the beacon when I come up the hill; it brightens up the darkness. The little kids on the block really enjoy seeing our house. Just look at their faces light up and when the school bus passes they always wave you said. Even the adults stop by and tell me thank you. I don't think it's a bother at all. It's a tradition. We're expected to do it."

That was his response then...after the cut wire, this is it now, "That's it, I'm done. The third time was the charm."

Third time? What third time you ask. Well last year someone cut the wires between the lights on the four little pine trees at the far corner of our property. At that time I defended it saying it must have been an accident...someone probably took a short cut through the woods and didn't realize wires were between the trees and accidentally broke through them. My husband didn't buy that "theory." He showed me the clean, cut wire and although I agreed with him, I just shrugged my shoulders and asked him to fix it. He did.

The year before that was the year of the defiling of the deer.



My husband was really steamed that someone had put them in a compromising position, not only because the motor had burnt out on the once-moving buck, but he worried about the little ones across the street at school seeing it. At that time, he began pulling the lights down, and the only reason he stopped was because my daughter asked him to please wait until her birthday was over. After he cooled down he realized it was just a teenager stunt and he got over it.

I have a feeling he may not get over this one though. Whoever it was had to make a concerted effort to do harm via carrying a knife, sharp scissor, razor, box-cutter, or whatever, on them or, if they were in a car, stop, get out, and walk onto my property to do the damage. That does not leave me with a warm and fuzzy feeling and frankly, it wouldn't have mattered whether they had shot out a bulb with a gun, or, as they did, cut the wire with a sharp instrument. Both methods are destructive and belligerent.

It makes me wonder. What lurks in the mind of someone who consciously goes out of their way to hurt, harm, or even kill someone? Obviously, I'm not talking about the star -- my husband already rewired it so it's shining brightly again. I'm talking about harm to innocents. There's no one on this earth that can put together a life when someone deranged decides to snuff out someone else's light.

I believe our focus should be not so much on the weapons of choice a sociopath employs to commit their horrendous act, but more so as to the why they've made that choice. And perhaps even more importantly, what could have/should have been done to prevent them from making that choice.

Now I'm not saying that the teenagers, if they are even teenagers, who have damaged our decorations for the last three years are sociopaths, but to me, there is something "off" about them/him/her. And I only hope that the people around that person is aware that something is not "right" with them and looks to help them, before it's too late. Parents are the first line of defense. Teachers, friends, family and neighbors should also be aware that they too are part of the "protection system."

It's up to all of us to keep the lights shining bright...