When I was driving through the Guadalupe Mountains, I couldn’t help but be stunned by their beauty. I have never seen mountains before - only the rolling hills of Austin, Texas (which is another beauty in and of itself).

When I arrived at my friend Johnny’s apartment, he informed me that The Guadalupe Mountains are actually a very dangerous place. Since Juarez, Mexico is just on the other side of the mountains, there are ‘bandits’ that patrol the area searching for people to abduct. Apparently the human trafficking industry is quite profitable.

This got me present to the fact that I live in La-La Land. I love that I live in La-La Land, but it is also a little frightening to know that things like this are so close to home. Not only that, but I am completely oblivious to them. That raises the question, “how many others out there are oblivious to what goes on in ‘the real world’?”

Human trafficking- one ‘person’ deciding to abduct/steal/rob/take the life of another human being. Threatening them, forcing them into a system of slavery where they are actually SOLD to another ‘person.’ The abducted person is taken completely out of their former life. They cannot go back, ask for help or escape. If they attempt this, they are murdered, possibly tortured and God only knows what else. Can you believe this?

I can only thank God that I did not come close to this happening to me. I am also glad I was clueless about these happenings as I was driving through the mountain – otherwise it certainly would have taken away from my experience of the beauty.

I don’t really know what thought to leave you Pinkies with. I am angered by the fact that things like this are going on, frustrated that there is really nothing I can do about it, and bothered that it could happen to anyone. I think
is a good opportunity for us all to take note of each person we come into contact with on a daily basis. Every life is important, and though the cashier at the grocery store, your neighbor a couple blocks over or the Vet that takes care of our pets might not be someone you know intimately, remember that they too have a life, people who love them and dreams to accomplish. No one has the right to rob another person of that.