Yesterday was downright tough… to hear of another shooting at a school was heart-wrenching enough, to learn it was of such young students – no words describe how I feel. But to learn it was the school in which a long time friend had worked at for years just about brought me to my knees.  I couldn’t get a hold of her or her family at all yesterday.  This morning I got a brief email to say she is ok. Those were/are the most beautiful words! The rest of the story is not important.

I know my friend and her family are overwhelmed with grief, as they try to work thru all that was dumped in their laps yesterday from another crazed individual…  Some day, I might hear the rest of the story, but these kind of traumas are hard to shake loose from. In some ways, I wish I could be there to give hugs and provide a shoulder to cry on, but its the last place I need to be. It is a strong, close knit town, no different than any other small town across the good ole U. S. of A., but when something so horrific happens, the folks in town close ranks quickly,  as they don’t want or need strangers in their midst. They need to hold on to each other – folks they know not strangers. The reality of it all hasn’t sunk in yet… the grief process is so profound, but necessary to go thru and they will go thru it.  Major hugs are in order, then step back and let them have time to heal. When all the media leaves and the hoopla of the investigation is done – the cold hard facts of reality will hit – it is one tough pill to swallow… my heart goes out to them.

And so… today… I’ve got to break away from the computer, TV, and put some action into my body. Put my brain to work on something totally unrelated…