[Nalansor]

Anna moved to Florida mainly because her relatives would/could take advantage of any money we would have sent to her while she was pregnant. While here, she tried to meet her goals of her GED, earning her Certified Nursing Assistant license, and her driver's license...none of which she achieved.

Maybe my family and I pushed her too hard. Maybe we're just from two very different worlds. I don't know.

But Anna has decided to leave Florida and return to an unknown future in her home state. She has no money, no education, no light at the end of the tunnel. If she stays here, she has attainable goals: GED, CNA licensing, and her driver's license. She's worked on those so hard...yet she's giving it up.

We had a tearful talk tonight about her decision. I don't want her to go. She is my niece (in-law) and I love her. Here I know she is safe and that I can help guide her. I want her to stay.

But her actions tell me that she really doesn't want to improve her life. That she's okay living off welfare and depending on others. Like I said, two different worlds. I won't pretend to understand hers, but I won't judge hers anymore. I just wish she would stay.

As of now, she is leaving on Saturday. We will give her money to get started, but then what? In her home town, there are no educational centers to provide free GED education. There are no places for her to test for her CNA. She has no home of her own. Anna and her girls will return to the same situation she left: living on other people's welfare, moving from place to place to place.

So I hurt for Anna, for knowing that she won't be 1.2 miles away anymore, and that she's going right back into what she wanted the most to leave behind.

It's not right. It's just not right.

[greenrobin]

My heart goes out to both of you.

You can only offer things to people. You can't make them take them.

Hugs and prayers.