Yesterday, a new day dawned and with it came more madness. At about the same time as Tuesday, a twisted soul called the high school and once again, there was a lock down.
The difference for me yesterday, was that Bella was in Boston, touring Northeastern.
It was an entirely different situation for many others.
Facebook was filled with posts of varying degrees of concern. There were people who were legitimately losing their one minds. There were nasty rants on posts from one person to the other. There were plenty of supportive posts. There were heartfelt notes from people who were there, who lived it.
My own feelings on the past two days are fairly straightforward.
When we give into fear, the twisted souls win. They get into our heads and into our psyche, and they wreck havoc with rational minds.
I have said it before, I will say it again, we are all in this little community together. For many years. Being cruel to a neighbor or an acquaintance doesn't get you anything except bad karma points.
I would venture to guess the staff at both of the schools are most certainly unhinged.
When those of us not IN the buildings are sitting with a device in our hands that allows us to vent, ask questions, make judgments, and make phone calls, that can impede an investigation.
When the movements of our students are broadcast via whatever means used, this can tip off the obviously already agitated aggressor.
The state police, with their expertise and training are who led the charge here. The staff complied with what they were instructed to do.
When people state that the district won't share what happens next, because "that's the way its always been done," they are sharing the actions of a prior administration.
When News 12 is at the front of the building, they are doing their jobs. It doesn't mean you need to answer any questions they might have.
Each person in the position of comforting my child may not only work in this district, they may live here. They may have kids in the high school or any of the other four schools. I would suspect the option of calling in sick today was highly discouraged.
They are mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers, aunts, uncles, our neighbors.
I will do what I can to say THANK YOU. To lift them up with praise and not diminish their fears, for they deserve my thanks.
I hate when fear "wins" in any form. I truly loathe it.
But I get it.
As the adults we are the mirror our kids witness. If we are scared, they are scared. If we bad mouth the way this is handled, they will too. If we are kind of calm, they will be kind of calm.
With that said, each of us knows ourselves, and our kids best and as such, you must do what will help you sleep. If that means your kids stayed home today, so be it. If your kids went to school, so be it.
No one way is better than the other.
These are chilling times. Horrifying things happen every day, somewhere, in this vast world.
Hug your kids. Kiss them goodnight even if they tower over you, actually, especially if they tower over you. They are still kids in those hulking bodies. And despite their best efforts to "act their age," when they really do, it annoys us. Remember the kid who actually wanted to cuddle with you and embrace THAT kid. They need that. Even when they push away, they are as scared as we are - and they have been living it while we have been hearing about it.
xo
PS - In my wildest dreams I never suspected my blog would take on a life of its own like it did yesterday. It was me just writing like I always do. Thank you to all who read it, shared it, commented, phoned, texted, etc. I appreciate it.
The difference for me yesterday, was that Bella was in Boston, touring Northeastern.
It was an entirely different situation for many others.
Facebook was filled with posts of varying degrees of concern. There were people who were legitimately losing their one minds. There were nasty rants on posts from one person to the other. There were plenty of supportive posts. There were heartfelt notes from people who were there, who lived it.
My own feelings on the past two days are fairly straightforward.
When we give into fear, the twisted souls win. They get into our heads and into our psyche, and they wreck havoc with rational minds.
I have said it before, I will say it again, we are all in this little community together. For many years. Being cruel to a neighbor or an acquaintance doesn't get you anything except bad karma points.
I would venture to guess the staff at both of the schools are most certainly unhinged.
When those of us not IN the buildings are sitting with a device in our hands that allows us to vent, ask questions, make judgments, and make phone calls, that can impede an investigation.
When the movements of our students are broadcast via whatever means used, this can tip off the obviously already agitated aggressor.
The state police, with their expertise and training are who led the charge here. The staff complied with what they were instructed to do.
When people state that the district won't share what happens next, because "that's the way its always been done," they are sharing the actions of a prior administration.
When News 12 is at the front of the building, they are doing their jobs. It doesn't mean you need to answer any questions they might have.
Each person in the position of comforting my child may not only work in this district, they may live here. They may have kids in the high school or any of the other four schools. I would suspect the option of calling in sick today was highly discouraged.
They are mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers, aunts, uncles, our neighbors.
I will do what I can to say THANK YOU. To lift them up with praise and not diminish their fears, for they deserve my thanks.
I hate when fear "wins" in any form. I truly loathe it.
But I get it.
As the adults we are the mirror our kids witness. If we are scared, they are scared. If we bad mouth the way this is handled, they will too. If we are kind of calm, they will be kind of calm.
With that said, each of us knows ourselves, and our kids best and as such, you must do what will help you sleep. If that means your kids stayed home today, so be it. If your kids went to school, so be it.
No one way is better than the other.
These are chilling times. Horrifying things happen every day, somewhere, in this vast world.
Hug your kids. Kiss them goodnight even if they tower over you, actually, especially if they tower over you. They are still kids in those hulking bodies. And despite their best efforts to "act their age," when they really do, it annoys us. Remember the kid who actually wanted to cuddle with you and embrace THAT kid. They need that. Even when they push away, they are as scared as we are - and they have been living it while we have been hearing about it.
xo
PS - In my wildest dreams I never suspected my blog would take on a life of its own like it did yesterday. It was me just writing like I always do. Thank you to all who read it, shared it, commented, phoned, texted, etc. I appreciate it.
Yesterday, my friend Trish (of Colorado fame) shared this on her FB wall. I thought it was so perfectly apt to say thanks to all of the staff involved in the throes of the chaos these past few days.
THANK YOU.
THANK YOU.
God only knows
God only knows what I'd be without you
God only knows what I'd be without you
God only knows
http://youtu.be/XqLTe8h0-jo
God only knows what I'd be without you
God only knows what I'd be without you
God only knows
http://youtu.be/XqLTe8h0-jo
