Tuesday, April 16, 2013

The Worst That Can Happen

When I was a young girl, I thought the worse thing that could happen to a President was that he would not be re-elected.  Then in junior high, President Kennedy was assassinated.  My childish ideas were lost in a second in the algebra class as girls cried and teachers looked grim.  We stayed home for three days from school and the whole country mourned.
When I was a teacher, I thought the worse thing that could happen in a school was a fire.  Children would panic and teachers would do their best but it would be a tragedy if it ever happened. Our school was really old and would have burned quickly with its wooden infrastructure.  Then, Newtown happened and my ideas were lost in a second.  I can't imagine the horror for all those involved.  As a teacher, I can't help but think of those innocent kids first.  How they didn't understand what was happening.   I think of the teachers who would try and comfort them.  I think of the worried parents who felt helpless.  Our whole country mourned.
When I participated in the Susan Komen 5K in Cleveland, I thought the worse thing that could happen at a marathon would be that someone cheated to win.  It has happened before.  Then, the Boston Marathon took place yesterday.  I had just returned home with my BFF from book club and we saw what had happened.  We both sat there stunned.  What should have been a fun and uplifting event turned into a horror show.
Our whole country mourns.

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