If he had survived...

     I often wonder just how far my compassion would have gone had the drunk driver who killed my daughter survived. Could I have forgiven him? Do I still need to even though he is gone?
     I am fortunate, strange to say I know, to have been spared a long trial hearing detail after detail of the worst day of my entire life. I wasn't subjected to looking into the face of the man who ripped from my life its purest joy. Never once did I have to hear his voice as he made some feeble attempt to defend his actions of that fateful night. Although I never have and never will desire for anyone to lose his or her life in a tragic way, I thank God that I was blessed to avoid additional torment and misery that would have come from the aftermath had my daughter's killer lived.
     My heart goes out to any family that must live through such a traumatic experience. I believe it would be extremely difficult to feel that any consequence could ever be harsh enough, any sentence long enough and certainly any amount of monetary compensation large enough. What could ever replace the loss of my precious daughter? Nothing.