Error that makes me cry

This error is making me cry:

TypeError: Error #1009: Cannot access a property or method of a null object reference.
    at flashx.textLayout.compose::ParcelList/getParcelAtIndex()
    at flashx.textLayout.compose::ParcelList/adjustForScroll()
    at flashx.textLayout.compose::ParcelList/beginCompose()
    at flashx.textLayout.compose::BaseCompose/initializeForComposer()
    at flashx.textLayout.compose::SimpleCompose/initializeForComposer()
    at flashx.textLayout.compose::BaseCompose/composeTextFlow()
    at flashx.textLayout.compose::SimpleCompose/composeTextFlow()
    at FactoryDisplayComposer/http://ns.adobe.com/textLayout/internal/2008::callTheComposer()
    at flashx.textLayout.compose::StandardFlowComposer/internalCompose()
    at flashx.textLayout.compose::StandardFlowComposer/compose()
    at flashx.textLayout.factory::TextFlowTextLineFactory/createTextLines()
    at flashx.textLayout.container::TextContainerManager/compose()
    at spark.components::RichEditableText/measureTextSize()
    at spark.components::RichEditableText/measure()
    at mx.core::UIComponent/measureSizes()
    at mx.core::UIComponent/validateSize()
    at mx.managers::LayoutManager/validateClient()
    at mx.core::UIComponent/validateNow()
    at spark.components::DataGroup/initializeTypicalItem()
    at spark.components::DataGroup/ensureTypicalLayoutElement()
    at spark.components::DataGroup/measure()
    at mx.core::UIComponent/measureSizes()
    at mx.core::UIComponent/validateSize()
    at mx.managers::LayoutManager/validateSize()
    at mx.managers::LayoutManager/doPhasedInstantiation()
    at mx.managers::LayoutManager/doPhasedInstantiationCallback()

This is the code:

        <s:RichText columnCount="1" fontFamily="Myriad Pro" fontSize="13" kerning="on" color="#FFFFFF"
                    textAlpha="0.5" whiteSpaceCollapse="collapse" trackingRight="1.4%">
            <s:content><s:p fontFamily="Myriad Pro"><s:span fontFamily="Myriad Pro">7 minutes ago </s:span></s:p></s:content>
        </s:RichText>

and this also:

        <s:RichEditableText columnCount="1" fontFamily="Myriad Pro" fontSize="13" kerning="on" color="#FFFFFF"
                    textAlpha="0.5" whiteSpaceCollapse="collapse" trackingRight="1.4%">
            <s:textFlow>
                <s:TextFlow>
                    <s:p>
                        <s:span color="#ffffff">3 Comments</s:span>
                    </s:p>
                </s:TextFlow>
            </s:textFlow>
        </s:RichEditableText>

This does work:

        <s:RichEditableText color="#2b4381" editable="false" fontFamily="Myriad Pro" fontSize="13"
                            whiteSpaceCollapse="collapse" fontWeight="normal">
            <s:textFlow>
                <s:TextFlow>
                    <s:p>
                        <s:span color="#ffffff">2 Comments</s:span>
                    </s:p>
                </s:TextFlow>
            </s:textFlow>
        </s:RichEditableText>

Can you tell me why one breaks and the other doesn't?

Also, please please provide more descriptive error messages.pleeease