I consciously avoid most news these days as it is too depressing. Somehow this week I began to follow the disappearance of Mollie Tibbetts, a young woman out jogging in Iowa who seemingly disappeared. After endlessly reviewing security camera footage, the police reported what happened to her and what might have been her final words. After her abductor approached on the street, she clutched her cell phone telling him to leave her alone or she would call the police. She was too late I’m afraid.
Life is blooming in Northern Cali. Loving the morning walks.
It reminds me of something that happened to me, at exactly her age. I was walking early one morning to my first college summer job. I cut across a neighborhood park. It was barely light, but how dangerous could it be with all those houses just across the street? I heard footsteps behind me, but did not run, nor scream or even turn to face the intruder. Of course there was no cell phone to clutch. A man walked up behind me and thrust his hand between my legs and turned and hurried away. I was stunned. I did not think to report it, after all he didn’t “hurt” me. Calling it sexual assault was unthinkable at that time. I’m not sure I ever told anyone. I also don’t remember how I got to work from then on.
A woman and her dog.
All this was streaming through my mind as I was again on a morning walk, in another park with few people in site. A woman was walking her dog ahead of me and I motioned to the dog who happily made a beeline to have his ears scratched and his rump tickled. She laughed and said, “so much for my protector.” I struck up a conversation with her and we talked briefly about how we must be constantly vigilant. It’s exhausting in ways we’re not even aware.
If you’ve followed this blog, you know that I talk frequently about living fearlessly. After all, adventure is the antithesis of fear and safety has a high price. But what about Mollie? Was she like me, pretending there was no threat? She was 20 years old with the world by the tail. We must not let it scare us. Please, please don’t quit having adventures. It would make your life very small. Just be careful. Adiós Mollie. Go with God.
the adventures of dos tortas 
Just so you know Mollie Tibbetts was actually jogging in Brooklyn, Iowa. Very sad no matter where, and I am normally not a pessimist, but it seems like people are not safe anywhere anymore. 😦
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There are other countries who have made decisions which make it far safer for their citizens.
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Sorry you didn’t get it, but my main point was that Mollie Tibbetts was in Brooklyn, IOWA, NOT Brooklyn, New York. Seems there is a BIG difference in those locations as far as the crime rate goes.
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I so agree with you on this. I will not live in fear.
Thirty years ago I was very badly assaulted. I did live in fear for quite some time but worked hard to shed that fear.
When I bought the home I have now, in a low-middle class mostly Mexican neighborhood, it had bars on every window. I removed them.
I did add security doors but that’s so I can leave the doors open on cool summer nights.
People (mostly ones who didn’t live here) thought I was crazy to remove the bars, but I haven’t had a single problem.
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All true – BUT she disappeared in Brooklyn, Iowa, not NY. You may want to correct your post. Best wishes to you and the family!
On Sun, Aug 26, 2018 at 2:38 PM the adventures of dos tortas wrote:
> afish25 posted: “I consciously avoid most news these days as it is too > depressing. Somehow this week I began to follow the disappearance of Mollie > Tibbetts, a young woman out jogging in New York who seemingly disappeared. > After endlessly reviewing security camera footage,” >
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Thanks Amy. Done
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Thank you for your kind words for Mollie Tibbetts. She was in Brooklyn, Iowa. Terrible things can happen anywhere. I agree. Take reasonable precautions, but go ahead and live life anyway.
Sent from Dan’s iPad
>
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Thank you Dan. It’s all any of us can do.
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Thanks for the reminder..
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Be bold, be brave. You are that in spades Carolina.
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Bad things things can happen anywhere but if we let the fear of it take over, we’d never get out of bed, would we?
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Amen. My mother used to be afraid bc I was a long distance cyclist. I would tell her the same thing. We’d all still be in bed!
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A beautiful and necessary post – thank you Alex!
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Makes me sad. There are so many untold stories.
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