Saturday, April 21, 2007
Why? I don't know. Be wary.
All over America people are asking why the tragedy at V.T. happened. I don't know.
For the people who support gun rights, they will say every student should be armed. For the people who think guns kill people, they will want guns to be harder to get. People will say that V.T. didn't do enough. They will say that the police didn't react fast enough.
Most will search for easy answers. There are none. I certainly don't know any.
Here is what I know. Be wary of people who claim to know. Be wary of those who have an agenda. Be wary of those who talk the loudest, who are very confident in their answer. Be wary of those people who see the answer as easy. All of those people are usually wrong--very wrong!
Here is something you can do, should come into contact with a person who has lost their loved one to violence. Here is what to say. "Tell me about your son or daughter and their hopes and dreams. What made him/her laugh, and what was he/she like as a child? How can I lift you and your family up in prayer so you may feel added strength to get through this terrible time? "
Then listen. That is all I know.
For the people who support gun rights, they will say every student should be armed. For the people who think guns kill people, they will want guns to be harder to get. People will say that V.T. didn't do enough. They will say that the police didn't react fast enough.
Most will search for easy answers. There are none. I certainly don't know any.
Here is what I know. Be wary of people who claim to know. Be wary of those who have an agenda. Be wary of those who talk the loudest, who are very confident in their answer. Be wary of those people who see the answer as easy. All of those people are usually wrong--very wrong!
Here is something you can do, should come into contact with a person who has lost their loved one to violence. Here is what to say. "Tell me about your son or daughter and their hopes and dreams. What made him/her laugh, and what was he/she like as a child? How can I lift you and your family up in prayer so you may feel added strength to get through this terrible time? "
Then listen. That is all I know.
Sunday, April 15, 2007
Another Saturday, Another Service
It seems that for several Saturdays now we have been attending funerals. This past Saturday was no different, we attended a memorial service. I didn't know him but we both know her and like her a lot.
On the way home my wife asked what it must be like to go home to an empty house after you have said goodbye to your wife or husband. That is not a pleasant thought, but is part of life. In this world you can't have life without death. You can't have love without loss.
A couple of letters were read at the memorial service, one by a wife and one by a sister. A little glimpse into the life of the man we didn't know.
In most of these funerals or memorial services, the words indicate that the loss is great. The words usually indicate there is grief for what could have been as well as what will never be. Life will never be the same again. Death has intruded.
If you are reading this and hurting and the very mention of a funeral causes your tears to fall and brings thoughts of your loved one, I'm sorry you are hurting. I'm sorry you loved and lost. It is difficult to remember that old saying, "It is better to have loved and lost, than not to have loved at all" when you are hurting. Come back to this blog in 3 months, 6 months, or a year, and let me know how you feel then. Peace.
On the way home my wife asked what it must be like to go home to an empty house after you have said goodbye to your wife or husband. That is not a pleasant thought, but is part of life. In this world you can't have life without death. You can't have love without loss.
A couple of letters were read at the memorial service, one by a wife and one by a sister. A little glimpse into the life of the man we didn't know.
In most of these funerals or memorial services, the words indicate that the loss is great. The words usually indicate there is grief for what could have been as well as what will never be. Life will never be the same again. Death has intruded.
If you are reading this and hurting and the very mention of a funeral causes your tears to fall and brings thoughts of your loved one, I'm sorry you are hurting. I'm sorry you loved and lost. It is difficult to remember that old saying, "It is better to have loved and lost, than not to have loved at all" when you are hurting. Come back to this blog in 3 months, 6 months, or a year, and let me know how you feel then. Peace.
Sunday, April 08, 2007
Halle Berry and self-talk
Self-talk can be the difference between a completed suicide and no suicide. An example is the converstation that Halle Bery indicates she had with herself while contemplating taking her life. She found reasons to live. She thought of her mom, her mom finding her, and how much her mom had sacrificed for her children, and that it would be terribly selfish for Halle to take her life.
Sometimes self-talk is what is needed to stop the person, sometimes the conversation goes the other way. Sometimes there are no reasons mentioned to go on, and the last self-talk is, go ahead and do it--no one cares anyway--how tragic!
I'm glad that Halle found reason not to end it all. I only wish for each person who every second of every day, attempts to take their life, each one would instead find a reason not to.
May each one of us find a reason to go on no matter how bads things seem. May we also live our life in such a way that we are a haven, an island of love and support for all that we come into contact with. Peace.
Sometimes self-talk is what is needed to stop the person, sometimes the conversation goes the other way. Sometimes there are no reasons mentioned to go on, and the last self-talk is, go ahead and do it--no one cares anyway--how tragic!
I'm glad that Halle found reason not to end it all. I only wish for each person who every second of every day, attempts to take their life, each one would instead find a reason not to.
May each one of us find a reason to go on no matter how bads things seem. May we also live our life in such a way that we are a haven, an island of love and support for all that we come into contact with. Peace.
