I had originally set out this week to make a post regarding Celiac Disease and its relation to diabetes, thyroid disease, neurological disorders, dermatological disorders, cancers, and other diseases. I certainly know for myself, it does seem that these are all closely linked. Unfortunately, in my research I have not found a whole lot of hard evidence that I could pull together and make sense of as would a medical professional. In working on researching this topic, I was nose-in to my lap top with my TV playing the morning news in the back ground. That's when I was punched in the stomach!
A mass shooting at an elementary school in Connecticut. WHAT?! An elementary school? I had to stop what I was doing to fully listen to what I thought I had just heard. Sadly, what I thought I heard was exactly what I heard. I just couldn't believe it. Suddenly, I was no longer able to focus or think of anything else. I even got up from my chair and began pacing back and forth while listening to the news reports as they rolled in, and at this point, as I write this, not all the details are known.
My first thought was that of my own son. Last week I was on my way to pick him up from school and I got an automated call from the school letting me know it was on lock down and they would not be releasing children. The message stated they had no further information at that time but would contact us as soon as they had more. I instinctively went to the school anyway to wait it out all the while thinking, "If there is something dangerous in the area causing a lock down, should I even subject myself to that danger?" Even with that thought my instincts forced me toward the school. My gut was telling me, "If my son is in danger, I don't care what could happen to me....I need to be there." While I was battling myself in my head, my auto-pilot had me in the parking lot before I knew it.
When I got to the school all the parents were outside waiting and trying to get information. I hear within minutes that a man with a gun was threatening to "shoot-up" a grocery store just down the street from the school. That was another blow because I had just kissed my husband goodbye from his lunch break. He headed off to work at the pharmacy at that same grocery store as I went to get my son. So, not only was my son in danger, I now knew that my husband was in danger as well. Luckily, in our small town it ended well. The gunman was caught and no harm was done to anyone in the store or along the way. The children were released quickly thereafter. Relief is an understatement to what I felt.
As I hear the stories rolling in about this shooting in Connecticut, I just cannot believe it! I cannot imagine what those parents are going through. I cannot imagine what those poor children have gone through let alone what they have seen at such a young age. My stomach just turns and turns and the anxiety for these people is just overwhelming me at this point. I am writing this because I am sure I am not the only person feeling these emotions.
It makes me think and wonder what is going on in the world today. Is it the mass media in addition to social media combining to give us immediate information of tragedies across the world that brings attention to all of this? Or is the world becoming a more evil and dangerous place? Or is this combination of the two, drawing the evil towards the attention they will receive? We cannot protect everyone all the time. We cannot predict the actions of free willed human beings who ultimately are animals. Am I growing up and just suddenly realizing the devastation that we cause each other?
There are so many questions. There are less answers. I am curious to hear other people's thoughts and opinions on this. How do we talk to our children about this? If it were to happen in our childrens' school, how would we help them deal with the aftermath and post traumatic stress? How do we, as adults, wrap our minds around this insanity and come to terms with this?
We have recovered from tragedies in the past. Columbine, Virginia Tech, 9/11, the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan just to name a few. This is an elementary school. It could have been our own children.
I am speechless and yet have a million questions. We all think we are immune.......yet we are reminded frequently that we are not. Cherish what you have, brush off the stressors, and treat others with respect. Behind every smile is a secret battle.
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