If your child gets abducted because you did not keep watch over it, who is guilty of the abduction – you or the abductor?
If you had kept your eyes on your child, then the abduction might not have happened. Does that mean that you are to blame for the abduction?
If you say that you are to blame, do you also say that the abductor has done nothing wrong?
No, of course not!
You are responsible for your child’s safety. But if someone abducts your child, then it is that person who is responsible for the abduction, not you, because abducting children is against the law.
You might feel guilty, because you think you could have prevented the crime. But this does not mean that you are guilty of the abduction. You are only guilty of not having kept your child under supervision.
The person who abducted your child may not feel any guilt. But this does not mean that he or she really is without guilt.
I think we often confuse guilt with responsibility. I will continue to write about this, shortly.