Dear Kashmirigirl. I missed your original post as I was away. I hope you don't mind me posting my thoughts on this very sad, upsetting, and tragic event.
WITHIN MY POWER
Every now and then a tragedy strikes and forces us all to evaluate our own lives. As a father of two young boys, as a den leader of 10 cub scouts, as a coach to a kids soccer team, and as a neighborhood volunteer, I have not stopped thinking since the High School tragedy in Littleton, Colorado. To add fuel to fire was a rumor that some teenagers were planning to bomb the intermediate school in my neighborhood that my kids will attend in a few years. Thank god the whole thing turned out to be a big joke and the kids responsible for spreading this rumor were caught and disciplined.
I am not a very important person, as important is commonly rated. I do not have great wealth, control big business, or occupy a position of great honor or authority. Yet, I may be molding destiny - for it is within my power to become the most important person in the world in the life of a boy. Every boy is a potential atom bomb.
A humble citizen like myself might have been the Scoutmaster of a troop in which an undersized, unhappy Austrian 'kinder' Adolph might have found a joyous boyhood, full of ideals of brotherhood, goodwill and kindness. And the world would have been different.
A humble citizen like myself might have been the organizer of a Scout troop in which a young Russian 'malchick' called Joe might have learned the lessons of democratic co-operation. The world would have been different.
A humble citizen like myself might have coached a soccer team where a young Italian 'ragazzo' Benito might have found solace and learned lessons in playing by the rules. The world would have been different.
A humble citizen like myself might have organized exploration of nature trails in which a young Serbian 'momak' Salobodan might have learned lessons in preserving diversity. The world would have been different.
And a humble citizen like myself might have been a volunteering organizer in Littleton where young Dylan and Eric delivered meals to the elderly, the sick, and the less fortunate. The world would have been……
These humble men and women would have never known that they averted world tragedies, yet actually they would have been the most important people who ever lived. A hundred years from now, it will not matter what my bank account was (I have none!), the sort of house I lived in (a crummy old place!), the kind of car I drove (a piece of junk!), or the religion I practiced (none that I know of!). But the world may be different because I was important in the life of a boy.
WITHIN MY POWER
Every now and then a tragedy strikes and forces us all to evaluate our own lives. As a father of two young boys, as a den leader of 10 cub scouts, as a coach to a kids soccer team, and as a neighborhood volunteer, I have not stopped thinking since the High School tragedy in Littleton, Colorado. To add fuel to fire was a rumor that some teenagers were planning to bomb the intermediate school in my neighborhood that my kids will attend in a few years. Thank god the whole thing turned out to be a big joke and the kids responsible for spreading this rumor were caught and disciplined.
I am not a very important person, as important is commonly rated. I do not have great wealth, control big business, or occupy a position of great honor or authority. Yet, I may be molding destiny - for it is within my power to become the most important person in the world in the life of a boy. Every boy is a potential atom bomb.
A humble citizen like myself might have been the Scoutmaster of a troop in which an undersized, unhappy Austrian 'kinder' Adolph might have found a joyous boyhood, full of ideals of brotherhood, goodwill and kindness. And the world would have been different.
A humble citizen like myself might have been the organizer of a Scout troop in which a young Russian 'malchick' called Joe might have learned the lessons of democratic co-operation. The world would have been different.
A humble citizen like myself might have coached a soccer team where a young Italian 'ragazzo' Benito might have found solace and learned lessons in playing by the rules. The world would have been different.
A humble citizen like myself might have organized exploration of nature trails in which a young Serbian 'momak' Salobodan might have learned lessons in preserving diversity. The world would have been different.
And a humble citizen like myself might have been a volunteering organizer in Littleton where young Dylan and Eric delivered meals to the elderly, the sick, and the less fortunate. The world would have been……
These humble men and women would have never known that they averted world tragedies, yet actually they would have been the most important people who ever lived. A hundred years from now, it will not matter what my bank account was (I have none!), the sort of house I lived in (a crummy old place!), the kind of car I drove (a piece of junk!), or the religion I practiced (none that I know of!). But the world may be different because I was important in the life of a boy.