An awful day in Virginia
I written about this before, but many times when national events are spashed over the news, I have a hard time really connecting. Intellectually, I can think, "Wow, that would be so scary/difficult/sad/whatever" but for the most part I don't get emotionally carried away with news.
Today's shooting at Virginia Tech has me undone. It's a terrible tragedy, of course, but I was unsure why I was absolutely glued to the radio this morning. I have no personal connection, other than the brother of a friend who attends and is currently locked in his room there. (He's fine.) But this story just overwhelms me. I'm so sad for everyone involved.
I thought maybe it was my fond memories of college and the carefree-ness of those years that make me feel so very sad for all those students and family members who won't look back on their years in the same way now. Maybe it was the sheer numbers and promise of the people killed. Imagine losing 30+ members of an academic institution, that's a whole lot of hopeful, intelligent people who won't be contributing to our society now.
Then I heard an interview with a witness. He was in a classroom when the shooter entered and shot several people, including his instructor. The witness said the only thing he could think of was his mom and what she would go through if something happened to him. There it was, my connection. My kids are nowhere near college age, but just the thought that if anything, anything robbed me of their sweet lives... it's beyond comprehension.
So to all of the VT folks out their grieving today, my thoughts are with you. I can't imagine the devastation the loss of these 31 lives (and counting) has created. This is a sad, sad day. I can't imagine what the killer was thinking. I can't imagine being robbed of the freedom and independance of the college years. More than anything, though, there are the sisters, brothers, wives, husbands, dear friends, and sons and daughters that are dead. I simply cannot imagine.
Today's shooting at Virginia Tech has me undone. It's a terrible tragedy, of course, but I was unsure why I was absolutely glued to the radio this morning. I have no personal connection, other than the brother of a friend who attends and is currently locked in his room there. (He's fine.) But this story just overwhelms me. I'm so sad for everyone involved.
I thought maybe it was my fond memories of college and the carefree-ness of those years that make me feel so very sad for all those students and family members who won't look back on their years in the same way now. Maybe it was the sheer numbers and promise of the people killed. Imagine losing 30+ members of an academic institution, that's a whole lot of hopeful, intelligent people who won't be contributing to our society now.
Then I heard an interview with a witness. He was in a classroom when the shooter entered and shot several people, including his instructor. The witness said the only thing he could think of was his mom and what she would go through if something happened to him. There it was, my connection. My kids are nowhere near college age, but just the thought that if anything, anything robbed me of their sweet lives... it's beyond comprehension.
So to all of the VT folks out their grieving today, my thoughts are with you. I can't imagine the devastation the loss of these 31 lives (and counting) has created. This is a sad, sad day. I can't imagine what the killer was thinking. I can't imagine being robbed of the freedom and independance of the college years. More than anything, though, there are the sisters, brothers, wives, husbands, dear friends, and sons and daughters that are dead. I simply cannot imagine.
posted by Left Coast Sister at 2:14 PM
3 Comments:
i'm glad you wrote because i couldn't find enough quiet space at work to write. and it felt kinda selfish--like the reason the shooting was affecting me is because i work at a college.
on the way out to my car i was thinking that it's actually amazing that this doesn't happen more often. it's horribly easy to buy guns (at least where i am) and really, what's to keep someone from doing it? but egads. the horror.
yes, this is really something. On the face of it, it so easily could happen, and there are so many angry and crazy people in our world today. It makes you want to tie your kids to the bed and homeschool them forever, doesn't it?
If I didn't know there was a "grand plan" I wouldn't be able to bear it.
So very sad indeed, and the fact that we are all human gives us a connection to this tragedy.
For me, the fact that my college job was that of an RA (one of the first 2 victims in this case) and I went to school in a peaceful, beautiful, small-town setting was enough to make my heart ache regardless of the human loss. It hurts when these things happen and now we must figure out how to prevent it from happening again without wounding too many with the blame game.
Hugs to both of you.
Carrie
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