So Much Work, But So Much to Say

I really should be working. This is the refrain heard day in day out all around the world, in offices, homes, schools...you name it. And yes, I'm saying it right now. And I'll admit to a little bit of work today. The dishwasher has been emptied and reloaded. The children are dressed (for the most part). The white laundry is in on "whitest white" setting. Belurp, belurp. And lunch has been picked up off the floor (also for the most part).

But there is something preying on my mind right now, that is causing a huge mental block in my ability to accomplish anything more. It is the tragedy that is unfolding as I type this at Virginia Tech. The University is so far from here, but this feels like something close to home and I am grateful to myself for keeping my children in the nest today. There are no tragedies here (that I am aware of), but to be able to see my children and know that, right now, they are safe, is a huge comfort to me. It breaks my heart to think of all the pain that one person has caused in Blacksburg today. And so much worse...there is no justice to be had by the victims, because the shooter is dead by his own hand. Coward.

But, like so many of us, I can turn this around and make it about me. About my family. It doesn't even relate to me or mine, and yet at the same time, it does. We feed off this kind of news...as a society we can always make the drama about us. And this is drama of the highest order; Pain, death, shocking behavior... what a waste. For me... I want to learn from this. But what can I learn? That the only way to keep my children safe is to keep them by my side for always? That I should never turn psychotic and get my hands on an automatic weapon? I don't see any lessons here. None of this makes sense.

We're bringing up our children in a world gone mad: every generation has said it. And it will continue on long after we're gone. And for every one of us...the drama unfolds, but the work never goes away. And the job of making sense of the madness is at the top of the list.

My deepest heartfelt sympathy to all the victims of this tragedy.