The Sad Saga of Paris

This evening I came across a news report about Paris Hilton. Forgive me if my knowledge of her is somewhat scant. However, I understand that she is incredibly wealthy and what used to be called a “personality.”

I gather that she had been sentenced to a short stint in jail, but the sheriff had attempted to let her serve her time under house arrest. Apparently, there was an almighty palaver that led to her return to the court today and being sent back to jail.

What struck me was several ‘news’ photos of her crying and the reports of her being overwrought at the prospects of serving her time. The reports noted that she cried out that it was not fair and called to her “Mommy” while being led away to the gaol. The report also noted that she was shaking during the hearing and kept looking at her parents mouthing “I love you.”

It is obvious that this young woman has not developed full emotional maturity, and probably intellectual maturity. What is also apparent is that she has the misfortune of both having never before had to deal seriously with the untoward consequences of her life choices and also now having her first real experience of the hard realities of life being documented in the cold glare of public scrutiny.

My concern about this is to ask, who will save her? Who will speak words of comfort to her in the gaol -- true words of comfort that help her realize her errors, the need to repent, the necessity of changing her life? Will there be anyone who will with Christian love confront her and help her see the vacuity of her lifestyle and the benefits of living in the true freedom that respects limits?

Or will she die in the gaol? Will we soon discover an addiction that her wealth and the perks of fame has heretofore hidden from public view, which her time in confinement will reveal? Or will she do her time, and return to the sycophants who tell her she should be above such mundane punishments. Will her misguided loved ones, who believe that giving a person everything they want without moderation, consideration of others, or reference to the dignity of her personhood, which was not manifest up till now, continue to encourage her on that same path?

If so, I fear we will all too soon be reading about her unfortunate death. Perhaps it will be drugs; maybe it will be alcohol or some accident. It seems clear she is adrift and no one seems really to care to help her.

But I guess that doesn’t matter as long as people buy the newspapers, watch the gossip shows, read the celebrity blogs, and everyone can walk away from her ruined life and rotting corpse feeling better about themselves because they have never been tempted as has she.

(A recommended book for the not faint of heart: Click here, and don’t dismiss the suggestion too quickly! May Ms Hilton also find a copy of it to read while in the gaol.)

PS No, this is someone about whom I never once thought I would write.