Breaking Free: Bondage of Guilt

"My mother will always keep me in bondage now," said Brandy tearfully. "If it had not been for me, she would still be alive."

Brandy had just lost her mother in a tragic motor vehicle accident and felt responsible for it, because she had insisted her mother drive her to a local rock concert, the previous evening.

"Mental bondage for any reason can be overwhelming," thought Tuscany, her best friend, who was trying in vain to comfort her. "What can I say?" she wondered.

"I will always blame myself for the accident. I know that I will never be free of guilt, because we were fighting when we were hit by that transport truck," said Brandy.

"Accidents happen," Tuscany said aloud, knowing that any attempts at consolation would likely be in vain. "The police officer said you were really lucky, as you could have been killed, if you had not been thrown free of the car."

"My mother was always so domineering. Everything was always her way. I was just breaking free."

"I understand."

"Perhaps it would have been better if it had been me," Brandy replied.

"Your mother was probably only trying to protect you, not run your life. Remember that she was young once, too. She would have understood why you need your freedom," replied Tuscany, who was almost in tears, too.

"What am I going to do now?" asked Brandy.

"Well, now you are free to get on with your life, your way," suggested Tuscany, gently.

"But I did not plan my life without my mother!"

Just then, a stern-looking police officer walked into the hospital room and stood at the foot of her bed.

"Brandy, do you have any idea what we just found in your mother's car?"