OT: school shooting in CT

[Raymond]

Billy,

How close are you to the tragedy?

[JRutledge]

Prayers go out to that community and the people involved. This should make us finally do something than just talk. That is all I have to say.

Peace

[jeremy341a]

Things like this just boggles the mind.

[Nevadaref]

Breaking news: another deadly school shooting takes place. This time in Connecticut.
Report is that 26 people are dead, 20 of which are children.
Very sad.

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by BadNewsRef

Billy, How close are you to the tragedy?

Connecticut is a very, very small state. Everyone is close to this tragedy.

I am very fortunate in that I do not personally know anyone directly, or indirectly, involved with this tragedy.

I thought that I handled it well yesterday, first as the news trickled in, and then when the enormity of the situation was presented. No major problems during the day. I was able to sleep well last night. That was yesterday.

Today, it's hitting me like a lead pipe in the face. I was probably in some type of "shock" yesterday, probably some type of hard wired, built in, genetic defense mechanism. For lack of a better explanation, today I feel numb inside, a great emptiness.

I was "touched" by previous tragedies like this, Columbine, Sikh temple, Amish schoolhouse, Virgina Tech, Aurora, Fort Hood, etc. but this one is so close to home that everyone in our very small state will be forever affected by this tragedy.

One thing that I noticed today is that I'm finding a lot of difficulty dealing with the media coverage of this, newspaper, local television, network television, cable television, radio, etc. I know that they are just doing their job. I'm normally a "news junkie" and "eat up" stories like this, trying to discover who, what, where, when, why, etc. I actually feel guilty trying to avoid the coverage. With the tragedy that the family, and friends, those directly, or indirectly, involved with the tragedy, have to go through, real, and up close, why can't I at least show some interest in this?

One thinking for certain, I can't wait to get to mass this weekend. I don't have any scheduled games that will prevent me from attending. Even for those of you who may lack faith, sharing grief, even in a nonfaith way, can be very helpful. My faith, and those who share my faith with me, will help me, and will help the rest of my parish, get through this tragedy. We will never get back to normal, but we will get through this.

As a parent, and a retired teacher, I know that kids are very resilient. The Newtown kids that survived will always be affected by this tragedy, but they will somehow survive, and get through it. It may take longer for some than for others, many will need professional help, but they'll survive.

For those of you who have faith, this (below) is the best that can come up with to help everyone through this, or something similar to this. It's not perfect, but I gave it my best shot. Please read it. It may not help everybody. It certainly won't help nonbelievers. But even nonbelievers may get some comfort in that may believers will gain some comfort from these words, it may not help you, but it will help others, and that many of us have hope in a better, but probably not perfect, future.

"So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal." (2 Corinthians 4:16-18)