A Difficult Week

The last week has been difficult on a couple of different fronts. Work has been stressful, mostly because Tuesday was the day from hell. Everything that could go wrong did - in one day. We did manage to survive and the week slowly improved though I was exhaused by the end of the day yesterday. This adjusted work week is not fun and I can't wait until it's over. 4 more weeks...

I've also been thinking alot about what happened at VA Tech. I've watched the news coverage, read the news articles and the stories of the victims, and I find myself just so very sad. Not only sad for the families of the victims but sad for the person who did the killing. I know it's not a very popular sentiment but I can't help it. As one who has suffered the darkness of depression, I can't help but wonder - how does a person get to that level? how does a family not see that the person is sinking that deeply into depression and mental illness? And how can I keep that from happening to my child?

I have to admit, I dread when DS starts going to school. He's a very sensitive child and I wonder how will he handle the teasing? Will he be strong enough to withstand the inevitable childhood ribbing and whatever bullies come with grade school and middle school? Will he resist becoming one of those boys who teases and bullies? It frightens me every time I hear stories about how cruel kids are to each other. Add to this the fear that he will fall prey to the darkness and it gets overwhelming fast.

So the mother in me is just so sad for the children that were lost on Monday, all of them. The children who had grown up to make a difference in their student's lives as wonderful professors, the children who had such promise as young adults - promise that must now go unfulfilled, and the child it seems felt unnoticed and on the fringes of life. And I cry for them all.