Tuesday, April 17, 2007

Grief

Over the weekend, I got worried e-mails from both of my parents (they are divorced) asking about how we’ve been affected by the nasty weather that’s been hitting this part of the country. To be honest, it has affected me quite minimally, other than the cabin fever one experiences when stuck indoors with an energetic three-year-old for an entire weekend and being generally pissed at the crashing temps that went from 82 degrees to 32 degrees in 72 hours, resulting in two inches of snow Easter weekend, then back up to 60s during the week and down to 40 with pouring rain and 60 mile an hour winds on the weekend. But then on Monday, local schools (including Child’s preschool) closed three hours early because of the weather, and as I was leaving work to pick him up, I was composing a post about how shitty this spring has been weather-wise and how unfair it is because spring and fall are the only tolerable seasons in this city while winter and summer just plain suck.

In an effort to get the forecast, I turned on the radio. And then I heard about Virginia Tech. And everything else became insignificant.

I know there is horrible injustice happening daily in many parts of the world. But this hit so close to home for me, literally and figuratively. Virginia Tech is just a few hours from where I live. My friend’s family just got back home to Blacksburg from their daughter’s wedding when this happened. Husband’s boss’s niece is in stable condition at a local hospital, recovering from three gun wounds. I am sure I will hear more stories from friends and colleagues as more of them receive and share news from their loved ones.

In reading Sarah’s post last week, I thought of my uncle’s funeral where my grandma said that a parent should never have to bury a child, no matter how old. I can’t wrap my mind around what happened at VA Tech. I can’t even begin to analyze it. I simply hurt so much for these people, the parents who have to bury their children.

3 comments:

Unknown said...

"There but for the Grace of G*d..." I can't even imagine the horror and pain of the parents of these children. My thoughts and prayers go out to them.

Sarah said...

it's just too horrible to comprehend. it's been weighing heavily on my mind but i feel like it's too big to even know how to begin to blog about it. luckily everyone i know with friends and family there are all okay, but i just cannot imagine what they have all been through. i actually can't listen to the news about it anymore because it is making me feel ill deep in my bones. is this the fear that comes with parenthood? because it is really overwhelming.

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