Category Archives: tragedy

it is not enough

Posted on by
Reply

“Mommy, why are the flags down?”

This was the question my daughter asked as we drove past the local police station and noticed that they were at half-staff.

Swallowing tears, I told her that the United States is sad and grieving this week because someone took a gun into a school and killed children and teachers.

My heart has been broken this week. Emotions have run the gamut, from grief to anger to sadness over the mass school shooting in Uvalde, TX. I know all too well the excruciating sensation of having our community ripped open by gunfire. The uncertainty, the vulnerability, the pain, the loneliness, the rallying around each other… it all comes back in an instant.

This time, my emotions were overshadowed by a vast disbelief that something like this can happen over and over and over AGAIN because nothing has changed in the many years mass shootings have existed.

I lived on campus at Virginia Tech the day we had an active shooter situation, 15 years ago. Fifteen years. We locked down, tried to call our families through inundated cell phone lines, checked on all our friends, and prayed with all our hearts. Then, we found out classmates we knew had died. Their smiles, laughter, and zeal for life were forever taken from this world.

It is not enough to hold our babies tight and be thankful that it wasn’t us, this time.

It is not enough to teach our children what to do if they ever encounter an active shooter situation.

It is not enough to pray without taking action.

Please take a few minutes to contact your local representatives. We can make the change happen. If you need help finding contact information for yours, you can find it here:

United States House of Representatives
United States Senate

Make America a safe place for our children. The future really is depending on it.

we will carry each other

Posted on by
Reply

Thirteen years ago, 32 precious Hokies lost their lives.

The world felt as though it had literally stopped spinning.

How could the rest of the world still go on, while we lost our classmates, our friends, and our teachers? How could anyone keep on with their day-to-day life when our sense of normalcy was completely shattered?

It seemed unfathomable.

Our community faced uncertainty, fear, and grief. We didn’t know what would come next, but one step at a time, we pushed forward with a little more solemnity and compassion in our hearts. We carried each other, and gave what we could to help those around us, which most often meant our time, friendship, or even just a smile.

Friends invited me to their homes so I wouldn’t have to stay alone on campus. A church community across the country tied fleece blankets and mailed them to our small church group. I still have and use that blanket each day. A small act of service that may have long been forgotten by the giver often remains a comforting memory for the receiver.

I can also testify that even through the most difficult times, God never abandoned us. We were provided opportunities to feel of His love, peace, and comfort.

Now, here we are, facing the worldwide pandemic of COVID-19. In many ways, the world has “stopped spinning”. Day-to-day life is not what it used to be, and people are unsure of what will come next.

We may be feeling grief, fear, and pain, but we will make it through this, because we will carry each other. The entire population banding together for one incredible cause has an outstanding power.

After we overcome this, we’ll know how much we can all accomplish in unity.

Today, we remember the friends we lost on that blustery day in 2007. We go forward with the strength we gained from the weeks and months that followed, and a hope for brighter days ahead.

Never Forget. Live and Love for 32.
WE ARE VIRGINIA TECH.

12 years

Posted on by
Reply

It’s been 12 years since we lost our fellow Hokies and our community was forever changed. Twelve years sounds like a long time, but the memories are still so vivid, easily bringing back the rawest of emotions.

While it’s easy to focus on the tragedy, many of the memories that stand out from that time are of the ways people served, loved, and supported one another. We banded together as friends and strangers to cope with the events of that day and coming weeks.

In 2007, standing on the Drillfield at the candelight vigil, we listened to the 32 names of those who were lost read aloud. At the end of the night, the most vehement, yet somber, rally of “Let’s Go… HOKIES!” I have ever heard began. That sense of unity and strength was unprecedented.

Today, I ran, cried, and ran some more. I noticed the blossoms on the trees and the morning sun breaking through them, seemingly made more beautiful in contrast to the burning in my heart. I usually try to stay off of social media on this day, but I think it’s important that we remember what happened so we can work toward a better future. Love one another, never forget, and live for 32.

WE ARE VIRGINIA TECH.

teaching my children to have hope

Posted on by
Reply

How heavy my heart has felt lately, especially since learning of the tragedy in Las Vegas. It feels as if, in recent weeks, we’ve been watching our world crumble due to natural disasters, political conflict, and now, senseless mass murder.

Hearing of the shootings instantly brought back so many of the intense emotions I experienced while living on campus during the tragedy at Virginia Tech in 2007. Shock. Fear. Incredulity. Sadness. Anger. Grief. Knowing that some of our own peers would never come to class again, and yet watching in awe as the rest of the world just seemed to keep on moving. How could everyone continue with their everyday lives, when so much had changed for so many others?

To the media, who swarmed and practically pounced on anyone who would give them so much as a glance, we were a news story; to our community, this was real life.

I want our nation’s citizens to get behind each other and stand up for what needs to be done. The Las Vegas shootings should not become just another news story that everyone cries about for a few days and then forgets, like so many others before this. Brothers, sisters, fathers, mothers, daughters, and sons were hurt or didn’t come home to their families that night. We need to take a stance and try to prevent anything like this from happening again. This isn’t about political affiliation, this is about keeping our families safe.

From the instant I became a parent, I had this deep, burning need to protect my children. I had to safeguard them from hunger, cold, sadness, and of course, danger. My heart breaks to think that I can’t possibly shield them from all the perils of this world, but I can at least try to give them hope for the future. I cannot control the actions of others, but I can make our home a haven for peace and love.

In a moment of spontaneity yesterday afternoon, as I was feeling the gravity of all the world’s turmoil, these two little girls snuggled up to me and fell asleep. I lay there, listening to them breathe, and soaking in all the peace and calmness of our afternoon together. There is still so much goodness in this world, and so much to be grateful for. We can be a light to others by serving, starting in our own homes. We can share goodness and help outshine the darkness.

We can’t stop loving, living, hoping, and trying for change, because that’s when we let the bad guys win.A couple of conference talks I’ve found comfort in can be found here and here.