Sunday, October 16, 2011

Knock on Wood....

I followed the Amanda Knox case since the 2007 when her roommate Meredith Kercher, was found brutally assaulted and murdered at their apartment in Perugia, Italy. I was fascinated by the whole idea of a young girl being murdered by another young girl. Motive? Means? Opportunity? Accident? I just had to understand how in the world this could happen. Admittedly the case was hard to follow. Botched crime scene, sketchy DNA, and language barriers are just some of the overwhelming factors in the case. I was constantly confused. I even read a whole book on the case recently and still have come away unclear. Even with lack of evidence, Amanda still came off guilty to me. I learned that in Italy, Amanda was held without bail for 4 years until it was decided that she was innocent.

Four years in prison waiting to be found innocent.....I just have to process that one. Can any of us afford to lose 4 years? Amanda was approximately 21 at the time of her incarceration and 25 at her final release. What did she miss out on in that time? I think of the very same years in my life and it went something like this:

Between the ages of 21 and 22, I broke off an engagement, met a new man and got engaged again and married in the same year. It was a whirlwind for sure, and more time spent thinking and less time at the disco would have been advisable. Between ages 23 and 25 I had a baby and got divorced. Both were wonderful decisions and did not need much forethought. By the end of my 25Th year, I was moving on as a single mother. And the bar now had a electronic bull and bales of hay!!

Back then, I tended to be hardheaded, immature and learned everything the hard way. I have since then learned to slow down, be less impulsive, and ask for help. Amanda did not have a chance to finish her education in Perugia-but I graduated from the school of hard knocks, with honors. Never one for regrets, I can look back on the error of my ways and chalk it up simply to immaturity. It's the very thing that has made me who I am.

But how about Amanda? Did she just miss out on some of life's learning curve? Will she make her life choices more carefully now that she has had so much time for reflection? Only time will tell. Good luck, Amanda. Breathe the fall air of freedom and enjoy your days as your get your feet back under you and move on with your life.

4 comments:

Erik Donald France said...

I like your story a lot better than that of Amanda Knox, certainly!

Charles Gramlich said...

Between 22 and 27 I was stuffed into graduate school and barely raised my head. I did have a long time relationship go south, and had one shorter term relationship in which we were very 'not' compatible. But not much more than work it seems for those years.

JR's Thumbprints said...

My moves were more calculated, more exact. Didn't considered marriage until my late twenties. You just never know what may come your way. I knew a man who did 8 years in prison because his ex-wife filed false charges on him of molestation. It took 8 years for his daughter to admit that nothing happened. So ... I'd have to agree that court systems don't always get it right. Oh, and don't get me started on crazy-ass judges.

jodi said...

Erik-we all have our tales-don't we? Cocktails and sharing someday!Charles-that's what you had to go thru to get to Miss Lana! J.R.-so sorry I had to miss you on Friday. Mark has promised to fill me in on what I missed. Have a great week, my dears. xoxo