Trying to Make Sense

Like everyone else, the shootings at Virginia Tech put a knot in my stomach. As a parent, a former student, a classmate, a person ... And like a lot of people I was compelled to listen to news of the incident, trying to understand who did it and why.

At one point Sam was in the car with me and I realized I'd been listening to a news report when he asked if someone had killed some people. We were stopped at a red light so I took a deep breath and turned around to face him.

"Yes. Someone who was very sad and very angry used a gun to hurt a lot of people," I told him.

"Did they die?"

"Yes, a lot of people died."

"Maybe they said something mean to him. Maybe they hurt his feelings."

"Yes, maybe, but I can't imagine saying anything that would make it OK to hurt so many people."

And then, in one of those bittersweet, I-wish-it-could-be-that-easy moments, he said: "That's right. He should have just turned the other cheek."