A 20-year-old student went missing while on holiday in the Dominican Republic. The father’s heartfelt message, the mother’s relentless tears, and her refusal to face the camera as they speak about their missing daughter are deeply painful to witness.
Recently, a group of college friends from America traveled to the Dominican Republic, and one of the girls went missing. Despite extensive search efforts, no progress has been made in finding her. Video footage shows that after drinking at a bar late at night or in the early morning, she went to the beach and has not been seen since. Her male friend, who was with her in the water, remains clueless about her whereabouts. Some lifeguards claim to have pulled her from the water, believing she gathered her belongings, but they have no idea where she went afterward. It’s a devastating situation, leaving her parents in unbearable anguish, with no certainty about her fate.
𝙎𝙤𝙢𝙚 𝙧𝙚𝙛𝙡𝙚𝙘𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣𝙨 𝙖𝙧𝙚 𝙣𝙚𝙘𝙚𝙨𝙨𝙖𝙧𝙮 𝙩𝙤 𝙪𝙣𝙙𝙚𝙧𝙨𝙩𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙥𝙧𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙣𝙩 𝙨𝙪𝙘𝙝 𝙞𝙣𝙘𝙞𝙙𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙨 𝙞𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙛𝙪𝙩𝙪𝙧𝙚.
Parents cannot be held responsible for such events, as grown-up children naturally seek to explore new places for fun and adventure. However, it is crucial for young adults to exercise common sense, especially when it comes to timing and safety. We organized numerous excursions for our school children, including fort explorations, overnight stays in forts, ocean baths, cave expeditions, and trekking. Each activity was guided by one principle: 𝘥𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘤𝘢𝘳𝘦.
Adventure, when pursued while intoxicated in the middle of the night with no one around, is a disastrous idea — a fatality waiting to happen. I remember that even as grown-up boys, we rarely ventured out at night. Neither did we explore after dark, nor were we encouraged to do so.The idea was deeply ingrained in our minds — at night, the risks were far too great. One could be assaulted, kidnapped, abused, or knocked down by speeding vehicles.
American universities provide orientation sessions for girls about responsible drinking and the precautions they should take. It’s essential to follow these guidelines — superficial friends are not your well-wishers, and even if they mean well, they are often powerless when faced with danger.
Recently, I met a student who lost one of her friends in a drowning accident. An army veteran nearby attempted to rescue her, but tragically, he also drowned. The girl tried to save him, risking her own life, and though she survived, the incident haunts her. She is in deep pain, carrying a scar that will last a lifetime.
A concerning phenomenon with modern kids is that they are often raised to be fragile, pampered, and entitled. With such an upbringing, it becomes easy to misuse their God-given intelligence, placing themselves in dangerous situations under the guise of exploration. The aftermath of such choices is unbearable, leaving scars so deep that healing becomes a lifelong challenge. Girls and boys must understand a crucial truth: the world does not exist to pamper or guarantee unconditional safety for their enjoyment. It’s a place of danger and potential exploitation by unscrupulous people. It’s not wise to venture into something where one has no control over the consequences of their actions.
It’s wiser for parents to resist spending money on such dangerous explorations where their children could face dire consequences. Enduring a child’s temporary anger is far better than living with a lifetime of trauma. If children are abused or harmed, they too will carry the weight of that trauma for life, even if they survive. The emotional scars can be just as devastating as the physical ones.
The Stoic philosophers, and similarly the Mahabharata, teach us to cultivate four essential qualities in life — qualities that extend beyond mere privilege and intelligence. These four virtues are deeply interconnected and do not exist in isolation: 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘢𝘨𝘦, 𝘸𝘪𝘴𝘥𝘰𝘮, 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘦, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘮𝘰𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯. What profound concepts! These are universal truths, transcending gender bias, religious fervor, atheistic beliefs, or superficial spirituality. They fulfill fundamental human needs, nurturing responsible freedom, mindful adventure, and the courage to stand for justice — all while acknowledging one’s limitations and embracing moderation in every aspect of life.
We hope and pray that the girl’s whereabouts are soon discovered and that her parents find peace. May this difficult time also serve as a reminder for parents and their children to continue exploring the world, but with caution and sensibility.
– Govinda Das (ISKCON Member)
