I’m trying to process what happened at Virginia Tech today. I’m upset about it, or course. I could still be in shock, I’m not really sure. The one thing I am sure of though, I’m absolutely dumbfounded by what I’m hearing on the news. Now, keep in mind that I was in high school during the period that school shootings were an epidemic, as some tend to call it the “Columbine Era.” Neither was my school immune to smaller events that could’ve turned out to be much worse. Thanks to God they were somewhat minor events. I don’t understand how this had a chance to get as bad as it did. Obviously the school wasn’t put on lockdown, or even adequately notified. I think we can all agree that was a mistake. At one point today I heard that VA Tech doesn’t have a lockdown procedure. This I don’t understand. In fact I’d say I’m outraged from just the possibility. Did we not learn enough from Columbine and all the other shootings? I just can’t get my brain to process that people can still attend schools that don’t have a lockdown procedure. Maybe it’s because I was at a critical stage in my development when lockdowns became standard, but that doesn’t work into an excuse, at least not a very good one. I even heard that putting a school of such size on lockdown would be impossible therefore no one is to blame for what happened today. I agree that no one, except the man (or men), is responsible for what happened today. I don’t agree, and more to the point refuse to believe that it would be impossible to put any place, especially any school on lockdown, of any sort. I’m sure details will come along that will help everyone make sense of this in some way. I’m sure good will come out of this, somehow, someway. It has to. I’m learning that good and bad come out of everything on this Earth. How we choose to view each situation plays the biggest role in how much bad or how much good comes out for each of us personally. Maybe this had to happen, for some reason. Maybe VA Tech will be the “Columbine” for colleges. At least that’s what I keep relating it to, at least for now.

My prayers are with all in the Virginia Tech community.

In happier news…..my life is getting better. Things are starting to take shape and it’s really exciting. My family is great, things are just awesome there. (I’m not going to say exactly what here, I don’t want to jinx it, but if you have my email address….feel free)

If you’re at all interested in partaking in a small act of kindness that will make a big impact in a kid’s life stop by AfricanKelli’s. You’ll be glad you took the time to read her latest post (April 16) and make a difference