The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed in this column are those of Michael Goings, the author, and do not necessarily reflect those of The Dillon Herald. He is solely responsible for the content of this article.

The recent passing of Douglas Pernell, the first African American to be elected as the Sheriff of Dillon County, as well as our first Black County-wide office holder, took us all by surprise. Having known Sheriff Pernell practically his entire life and being a person I considered as a friend, I could call upon him when I had a legitimate need that he could accommodate without jeopardizing his oath of office or personal integrity. He would waste little time in attending to my request. To be perfectly honest, I am still somewhat stunned and saddened by his departure. With me as a columnist and writer, I look for something that will enlighten, as well as encourage people when an unexpected incident happens in their lives that unleashes great pain, difficulty, and even grief. Unexpected occurrences will happen that will bring a dark cloud or sudden sadness, grief, and sense of loss such as the passing of Douglas Pernell brought upon his family, relatives, friends, and all of Dillon County. However, many, if not most, have had to deal with the sudden passing of a close relative or friend that knocked them to the canvas of life where they laid temporarily shocked, and in certain cases, traumatized. Invariably, though the most common cause of people being temporarily stunned and devasted by unexpected occurrences stem from the sudden loss of a loved one, there are other times when people can be thrown into a state of confusion, bewilderment, and even consternation. We are going to briefly consider a few of these very difficult and challenging times in the remainder of our column today.

The Prognosis of a Malignant Disease
One of the occurrences that has brought much alarm and anxiety to many people came from a visit to their doctor’s office. Having been told by their physician or oncologist that they have a malignant disease caught them completely off guard. Many who have received such grim and gloomy news can really empathize with what I am saying. Such a prognosis can not only temporarily floor a person but turn their whole life upside down. Thankfully, many who have gotten such unexpected and bad news got it in time to receive help and healing from the medical professionals and specialists. They are now rejoicing and living a normal life due to early detection.

The Shock to a Spouse That Their Mate
Wants a Divorce
I have had to give comfort and counsel to people (especially women) who were given no recourse but to accept or file for divorce. The grounds for most of these divorces were infidelity or irreconcilable differences. The idea and knowledge that their mate wanted a divorce really devastated them mentally and emotionally and required much comfort, counseling, and prayer to take them through the season of adjustment and recovery.

The Unexpected News That
Your Job is Closing Down
When Dixianna Mills, Wix Corporation, and a few other stable employers in our locale finally revealed to their employees that they were closing, it was a shock to many. Some had been faithful employees of these establishments for many, many years. For many years, it seemed as though these corporations that afforded good paying jobs to many in our area, as well as taxes to the treasury of our city and county for things like schools, salaries, and such like, would never close. Nevertheless, they did and when their tenure terminated, it happened as a surprise to many.

The Senseless Slaying
of a Citizen
Over the years, there have been quite a few senseless slayings of some good people who were just minding their own business in our locale. Their murders were shocking and caused much justifiable indignation and consternation to their families, friends, and the entire community. Why would anyone be so brutal, cold-hearted, and cruel to take the life of someone who was completely innocent and tending to their own business was the consensus and conversation that circulated throughout the county?

News From Your Unwed Teenage Daughter
That She Is Pregnant
The thing that I will conclude with today is expressed in the heading of this section. Many parents have received shocking and untimely news from their teenage daughters that they were pregnant. Such news has brought much concern and even anxiety in the mind of parents who now must contend with how this unplanned pregnancy is going to affect their daughter’s life and future. Many have had desires and dreams for their daughter that an unexpected pregnancy has either suspended or shattered completely. However, this is not to say that a young, unwed mother cannot still accomplish great things in her life. She can and many have soared to great heights of achievements in various occupations and areas of life despite the fact of being an unwed mother. My point and argument are not to demoralize the pregnancy, but to emphasize the fact of it being a shock to the parents.