Every now and then one should stop and take a closer look at their internal computer, the brain.  I had to take a recent tour of mine and found that my memory card was no longer large enough to handle the current activity my computer has had to deal with lately.  It doesn't help that my memory card dates back to the Commodore 64, and I think I picked it up at the Goodwill on a half price color day. 

I don't enjoy cranial hikes, but today something happened that caused a pop up window to open before my very eyes.   I had just been grocery shopping, and had sent Boy 1 to return the shopping cart to its proper place.  I got in the car, started it and drove off.  Girl 1, Girl 2 and Boy 2 started making strange noises from the back of the car.  This resulted in the pop up window, "ERROR  You must first ensure that all family components are safely within the vehicle before running."  I slammed on the brakes, whipped my head around to Boy 1's seat and low and behold he was not there!  I looked over at the cart parking area and found Boy 1 looking around in a bewildered fashion.  After a quick pick up and an apology I started the program again and we made our merry way homeward. 

My heart was still beating rather rapidly and the thought crossed my mind, what would have happened if I had actually drove off and left Boy 1 there?  If I had driven a block away, realized what I had done and drove back to get him would it be to late?  Would someone have already called 911 and social services?  Can a mom still be busy enough to have actually forgotten her child without abuse and neglect charges being laid against her? 

Forgetting your child is disturbing but it's certainly not the first time it's ever happened in the history of parenting.   There is a family story about my grandma forgetting one of her children at church.  Granted, she had ten of them to keep track of, but back then absolutely noone would have accused my grandma of a crime.  My uncle, who had fallen asleep under the pew, wasn't even worried when he woke up to an empty building.  He crawled out a window, went next door to a neighboring house and announced that his mother had forgotten him.  The neighbor, knowing my grandma, gave her a call.  Happy ending! 

Mary didn't excactly forget Jesus, she just assumed he was with Joseph.  The priest's and teacher's back at the synagogue weren't running around with trumpets notifiying the authorities of a parentless child. 

I would like to think that even today a parent can make a mistake without winding up in jail, but I gave up my rose colored glasses a week after my public high school graduation.  Professional's are no longer allowed room for mistake's in their job's, do you think the authorities would grant mercy to a homeschooling mother?  I don't want to find out.  I think it's time I upgrade my memory.  I plan on getting 2 gigs.  They say I'll never use it all on a personal computer but I don't want to run short on memory again.