Our WORD BY WORD Blog is supposed to be about encouragement and inspiration. I gotta tell you, it’s hard to find those words in the aftermath of another school shooting where three nine-year-olds, and three adults lose their lives. Difficult to find those words when a school full of children, their parents, and the staff and their families are left traumatized by the terror of an armed person blasting their way inside a place of learning. A place that should be safe. And what about the pain the shooter must’ve been in to do such a terrible thing? And the shooter’s family? This is tragic for so many people, even for those of us looking on from a distance, for whom this may trigger flashbacks to our own experiences. As a retired school administrator, I have memories of my own traumatic times in school.
This last weekend I attended a church women’s retreat where we studied Ecclesiastes 3:1-8. Whatever your faith you probably know the scripture: “For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven.” And you’ve certainly heard the song “Turn, Turn, Turn” by the Byrds. We may get the idea in our head that we are all going to die, but having it hit us in the face this way is shocking. When is our time? How long do we have? What should we be doing with whatever time we have? When we’re young, time moves so slowly, but as we age, the speed of time increases until in our older years, it’s flying by like a jet plane. Was that just a week ago? Where did that month go? How can we be another year older? And “turn, turn, turn.”
We need to pray for those who went through this experience, but shouldn’t there be something else we can do? The US is the only country that has this unchecked rash of mass shootings. What is unique about us that makes this true? I know what I would say? What would you say?
Until we figure it out or find the will to act, let’s tell our loved ones that they are important to us just the way they are. And tell them they are loved. If more people felt they were loved maybe that would help.
In my later in life romances, you will find death, families, love, and second chances. An audio version of TAINTED is now available here: https://books.apple.com/us/audiobook/id1669096821
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Word by Word 
Reblogged this on https:/BOOKS.ESLARN-NET.DE.
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Thank you for the reblog. 🙂 and thanks for stopping by.
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Hi Marsha, Writing apart… As a British subject retired in Spain and the mother of three, grown sons, I worked, part-time in a junior school for ten years, and it breaks my heart to read of the frequent… school shootings in the US. Where is the common sense of the Government? I wouldn’t dream of voicing my opinion normally, and understand “The right to bear arms,” BUT repeat rifles and collections of guns? No way should that be allowed. Mental Health sufferers should also be helped more and not allowed to own one. No country is perfect, but while greed is allowed to prosper…more young lives will, tragically, be lost. Sincerely.
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Hey, Joy. We always appreciate your comments and outlook. I would agree that greed is certainly apart of the problem and the lalck of affordable mental health services. I’m afraid there is also a hate of “the other” which is tearing apart our country. A country founded by “the others.” Thanks so much for stopping by and sharing your perspective. 🙂
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Hi Marsha, thank you for an important post! It is so hard to find the words to express my heartbreak at another shooting. Prayers are not enough.
I remember spending time in my kid’s class room every week. I never thought of worrying about a shooter. We were concerned about falls on the playground and the like. Now things in the US have been altered and I’m saddened. The world will never be the same for the young in US schools. Politicians need to get a back bone, stand up and do the right thing for the children. My two cents.
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Hey, Reggi. Thanks for the time you spent in your kids’s classrooms. That makes the work of the teachers easier and really helps kids. Yes, I agree about the need for a backbone. I would also say, we need to take care about who we give our precious votes to. Thanks so much for stopping by. 🙂
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It is mind numbing the number and scope of these tragedies. There’s this part of me that just wants to grab everything and everyone into a giant hug but that would be a pretty big hug. I’d say take away the guns but I listen to some Americans and they’re pretty. attached to them. I think it would be like ripping away a three year olds security blanket and the results might be a little different than expected. Right now I say hug your families, hug your friends and remember – most people realllyare good.
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Hey, Pat. I like your idea of a giant hug. If we hugged more people and people who are different from us, that would go a long way. My guess is we’ll ultimately find the shooter was bullied for being different, and that in no way excuses the behavior, but it sure makes clear the need for those hugs your taking about. No one wants to take away all guns. Just the ones developed for war. No regular person should be able to buy one much less multiples of those. IMHO. Thanks so much for stopping by.
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I have no answers. But I do feel that changes happens from the bottom up, and that eventually, love wins.
By this I mean it will take individuals noticing what is going on with those around them, and reaching out to help in the simplest ways.
I believe that offering a hand to another starts an amazing ripple effect that can change the world.
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Hey, Kathryn. I agree that’s an important piece of it. If we can each help others feel good about themselves, that will go a long way to prevent folks striking out from pain. Guess it also means standing up for others when they are made to feel less than. Thanks so much for stopping by. Really good to hear from you. Hope all is well. 🙂
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