THURSDAY THOUGHTS- PARKLAND

I don’t even know what to say. I have so many thoughts about yesterday’s shooting in Parkland, Florida.

I’d like to preface this post by saying I’m not trying to make this political. I am no political animal, and even though I believe The West Wing was one of the greatest shows ever written, I’ve never thought of myself as someone who was very political. However, as I’ve gotten older, I’ve started to understand more and care more about our government and about how our country is run and who runs it.

With that being said, I’d just like to pour out my thoughts here. I can’t keep them in. I didn’t think about it much today at school because, well, partly because I didn’t have time to think about it, but in a way I feel like maybe I’ve become a little desensitized to it-to mass shootings. I am disgusted with myself for even admitting that, but it’s the truth.

Most of you know I’m a teacher. I have been for nearly 10 years, and though we’ve had lock down situations before, they were all scheduled and not scary. However, these people (from reports that I’ve read) didn’t even have time to follow their lock down procedure. I read there was a fire alarm and then gunfire. They were walking into a trap.

Someone shared a video on Facebook from the Today Show segment with Jenna and Kathie Lee that showed Jenna saying that we expect our children to go to school to be educated by the teachers, and now we’re expecting them to stand in front of our babies when there’s a gunman in the room. And while I totally get it, I promise I do. I don’t know how I would actually react in a situation like that, but I’d like to think that that’s exactly what I’d do. The children who were killed in every school shooting were just that- children. No matter their age. If they were students, they were children. If they were adults, they were still children to someone. And no matter the motive of the gunman, these people were innocent victims. These high schoolers yesterday were innocent. The teachers who have passed away were innocent. Jenna encouraged everyone to thank a teacher. I’d like to do that right now. Thank you to all of the fabulous educators I’ve been privileged to work with or meet or know. We are called to go above and beyond sometimes, and yesterday was an example of some of actually sacrificed themselves to save someone else’s child. So next time you get mad at your child’s teacher or think they don’t know what they’re doing or talking about, remember what could happen to your child if the unthinkable were to happen and who might be the one to save your baby.

And just like everyone else has been saying, my heart hurts for the parents and loved ones of the victims-all of them, dead, injured, shaken up, all of them. My heart hurts for those students. Their lives will never be the same. Some of them watched their friends die. Some of them lost best friends, boyfriends, girlfriends, brothers, sisters, and cousins. My heart hurts for the loved ones of the gunman too. We never think about them. We just think about how evil they are. Of course there was evil there. But maybe there was a family member who is grieving for the pain their loved one caused to so many other people.

I believe this is not just a gun violence issue. Sure, it is. I am not saying that it isn’t at all. I’m a southern girl. I’ve been exposed to guns for the better part of my life, and I’m a supporter of the right to bear arms. But I’ll say that I think it’s ridiculous that I can go and buy these kinds of weapons. I am all for keeping our handguns and shotguns, but maybe we leave the automatic weapons to the professionals (military, law enforcement).

The other issue I believe we are dealing with is mental illness. Most acts of violence are carried out by those who suffer from mental illness. Why isn’t this a bigger priority in our country? I know I’m not alone when I say that I’ve seen mental illness. It’s a common issue on all levels. Some people don’t know how to get help. Or they can’t afford help. Or they are ashamed. This hurts my heart too. I know people who’ve gotten help for their problems. And I know people who haven’t, and it didn’t end well for them or for their families. I’ve seen some really close calls, and I’ve seen some people completely healed. My point is that mental illness is actually an issue worth fixing. It’s an issue worth putting more funding toward.

I know I said this wouldn’t be political, and I don’t think what I’m about to say is politically one-sided at all. But if we ourselves cannot do anything about this, can’t we elect the people who do want to make changes? Can’t we set aside Democratic and Republican status and agree that some changes need to start happening? I don’t know. I don’t have the answers, but I do know that I feel very strongly that something has got to change. I read today there have been 30 mass shootings in 2018. 30. In a month and a half. That’s unthinkable. No wonder I felt desensitized. I don’t want to feel that way again.

In closing, I’d like to say that we can do something. It always comes back to this for me, and it’s the only think I can think of to do right now. I’m not saying I do this on a regular basis. In fact, if I’m being honest, I rarely do this. But I think we need to pray for our government. We need to pray for our leaders, current and future, whether you like them or not. We need to ask God to guide them in the direction He wants us to go. We need to pray for peace; we need to pray for His protection; we need to pray for His will to be done; we need to pray for our leaders-whether you like them or not. Yes, I said it again on purpose. I know so many don’t like our president. We are all so different and have different views and that is part of the beauty of our species, but dang it, he’s in office, we aren’t, and we need to pray for him. I’d like to commit to adding that to my every day prayer list. I hope you do to. Imagine if we all prayed for God to guide our leaders. Miraculously wonderful things could happen.

And while you’re at it, pray for those victims and their loved ones. Pray for teachers. Pray for those with mental illness. PRAY.

Author: Elizabeth Norman

I'm a home grown Alabamian who ventured away for a while, but now I'm back! Follow along with me on my journey living the Norman life. View all posts by Elizabeth Norman