
Only a few days ago, the national spotlight was ridiculously focused like a microscope over one man's insensitive use of three words. "We're scarred for life!" they screamed... "the blasphemer must be crucified!"
What if he had said those three words on-air Monday, April 16th? Would anyone have given his nonsense the time of day? How about let's get some perspective on what legitimately IS and IS NOT a life scarring event for a college student to endure.
In the Commonwealth of Virginia, we are still reeling from the horrific events of Monday, April 16th. Thirty-three students massacred on the campus of Virginia Tech in Blacksburg; a couple dozen more wounded.
Where I live (about 3 hrs away), if you didn't graduate from Tech... you know someone who did. If your children aren't attending school there, then they have friends who are. It was particularly intense for some coworkers on Monday as they anxiously waited to hear from their college students and know they were safely out of harm's way, as no phone calls were getting thru to Blacksburg during the chaos.
In the late afternoon, I read an eye-witness account of a girl who was quoted as saying she played dead on the floor as the gunman came back thru her classroom a second time, and she feared he would discover her. "All I could think about was my Mom," she said.
I cried.
I called my daughter, a college freshman here locally, just to hear her voice and tell her I love her.
My heart aches for all involved in the tragedy at Virginia Tech... we are in mourning, for theirs are the lives which will truly never be the same again.

I was keeping my grandchildren yesterday when the horrible news broke. It is frightening to think of sending them out into a world where something like this could happen.
My thoughts and prayers today are in Virginia and with all of those touched by this tragedy.
My deepest sympathies are with you and all in the community.
peace, wayf
Love and light, Celtic Mist (CM)
I have a niece who goes to school there, First thing I did was call my sister and asked if she had heard from Courtney, I told her about the tornado and what channel I was watching, my next words were I will let you go incase she or somebody is trying to get a hold of you and I told her to call me when she heard anything. Amazing in a few seconds your day gets shot to pieces....
Wonderful post, thanks for you post
I suspect that the survivors of that shooting will experience some of the same PTSD that Iraqi vets will have after returning from the war.
Again - this is one more awful reminder that life is so precious and never guaranteed - I know that all the survivors will have that thought burned into their memories. These things are awful things that happen when we forget how to love or feel that we are not loved - Wow - I am so sad - I can only pray for a recovery of all, including his parents who must be devastated