Robbing Children of Their Innocence
My heart goes out to the loved ones of the victims of the VA Tech massacre. How many lives have been shattered. How many hearts have been broken because of this one person. It is a terrible tragedy. At some point I’ll share my thoughts about an armed society versus unarmed, but not now.
What really grabs my heart is the terrible problem of trying to explain tragedies like this to children.
My own children are still quite young so until recently it was relatively easy to shield them from stories like this, but that is no longer the case. Out on the schoolyard my son is learning all sorts of new things.
A simple trip to the grocery store presents challenges. All around us there are conversations about the sick man who killed all those people. The questions are starting to come.
Why do people kill each other? Are they dead forever? Will they miss their mommy? Will they try to kill you? Will they try to kill me?
I always knew that the day would come when I would have to try and answer questions that have no answer. I always knew that these moments would pop up, but I guess that I always hoped that it would be a long time from now.
During a conversation with my son and eldest nephew I realized that the day is coming and perhaps it has already arrived. Forgive me if I sound melodramatic but I cannot help but mourn innocence lost.
Jack's Shack April 18, 2007 at 5:59 am
I dread the day when they lose that innocence and wonder.
Me too.
Misanthrope,
My pleasure.
Amishav,
It is.
RM,
It is pretty scary.
RaggedyMom April 17, 2007 at 11:39 pm
I hear you, Jack. My daughter Ann is almost 4, and turned to me and said, “Hashem made us so we should not hurt ourselves or kill ourselves.” For a couple of stunned moments, all I thought was “When did we get here?!”
Amishav April 17, 2007 at 8:09 pm
Ya know, I feel the same way except out in Colorado we dealt with this (on a smaller scale) when the catastrophe at Columbine happened. Its terrible to see the same kind of thing again and again.
The Misanthrope April 17, 2007 at 4:41 pm
It’s not just children it’s young people too. When one is in college they have a dream they are pursuing and something so senseless and tragic shatters everyone’s hope.
On another note, thanks Jack for stopping by Johnna’s blog.
Pam April 17, 2007 at 4:29 pm
I think about this kind of thing all the time. My nieces and nephews are 10, 6, 6, and 2. How and when will they find out how terrible the world really is? When will their innocence be lost? Right now they delight in the world around them, the animals, clouds, sky, and play – I dread the day when they lose that innocence and wonder.