Everyone is commenting on the Virginia Tech shootings (in the media and the blogs) and I haven’t had anything new to say. Until today, when the woman who cuts my hair, G., referred to the news, saying, “How horrible. You send your kid to school and you think he/she will be safe. Only to find out that he can be shot!” The woman in the next chair nodded her agreement and that began a discussion about this. The assumption being that you’re sending your child off to a college thinking nothing can happen.
I couldn’t say anything — the words choked in my throat. Maybe it’s because at 27 years old, when I got multiple sclerosis, I learned for the first time that bad things happen and there’s no such thing as safe. At that time, I realized how lucky I’d been that I hadn’t had to learn that lesson earlier. I’m not minimizing the tragedy of this event or even the tragedy of knowing that a person could do such a thing. But I have a difficult time with the idea that we could ever assume that our children would be safe in this world.

As for me, I’m tired of hearing about the shooter’s thoughts or feelings. Lots of people, more than we’ll ever know, harbor some mighty bad thoughts. I don’t believe we can stop people from making bombs. But at least we can make it a lot more difficult for them to get the guns to act on those thoughts.

Living with chronic illness lets you know the world isn’t easy to navigate nor is it particularly safe. But let’s do what we can to level the playing field.
Rosalind