God Help Our Society

In all of my years on Earth, I feel that our society is at an all-time low. I worry about this world for my kids and grandchildren. I wish they could grow up in the sixties like I did. Times seemed so innocent on the country farm as a child, but I know the times were not. John Kennedy’s assassination was something I do remember watching on our old black and white Motorola with the rabbit-ear antenna. Yes, there was Vietnam. As a child, I remember seeing that in a land far away on television, but the gravity of it all did not click. Yes, there was pot smoking around back then, I’m sure. All of these things are evil; however, today, I feel a sense of an out-of-control world that I did not feel then. Perhaps it is because I have lived through sixty more years of tragedies of varying degrees. My anxiety today is through the roof.

The school shootings in Minnesota and Colorado set me off with uncontrollable anxiety. Whenever this happened anywhere while I was an administrator, I felt the same way. The protectiveness I felt for the students and staff I was in charge of keeping safe every day still lives in my brain and will always be there. I recall being furious with some of my colleagues who didn’t take school security as seriously as I did many years ago. I stood at the door, looking people over as they attended school events, all while pretending to greet them. I scanned them with my eyes, looking for anything I thought might be suspicious. I looked for anyone who may be under the influence. New procedures were put in place to pick up students to minimize entry into the school. School safety was always on my mind.

This morning, footage of 9/11 was on TV. Memories flooded back. I was walking through the school cafeteria to pick up my class from the gym and the TV was on. I saw the tower on fire, but it wasn’t until later that I understood what was happening. I walked my students back to the room, and other teachers filtered in and out of my room, giving updates quietly. A colleague and I took our lunch and went outside to the picnic table. The sky was ultra blue. There was absolutely NO NOISE at all, not even a bird tweeting, as we looked at each other, not knowing what to expect next. The last we heard was that there was a plane heading for Columbus. It could have been a rumor, but I was a wreck and in tears because my oldest was at college in Columbus. A plane went down in Pennsylvania. Need I say more? Bless all of those family members who perished that day and all of those who have suffered throughout life due to tragic events like these.

Yesterday’s event brought tears of grief to my eyes. How can anyone just unalive someone? I saw a video. I wish I hadn’t because I will never be able to unsee what I saw. I enjoyed watching and listening to Charlie Kirk, particularly how he connected with college students. He definitely was put on this Earth for a reason. My heart hurts so much for his family. His children will never have memories of their dad because they are so young. They will have many people tell them about him. That is not the same, even though it will give them a sense of who he was. There are digital memories for them. But my heart hurts that Charlie’s kids will never feel his kisses, hugs, advice, or laughter. Ironically, his children are about the ages of the Kennedy children when their father was assassinated. I know those are such formative years.

Stand up, people. Go to church, pray at home, but don’t let evil win. Be aware of your surroundings. Live right and teach your children and grandchildren to do so as well. Invest in your family. Slow down, for tomorrow is not promised, as they say. Push back. Evil is definitely among us in this world.