The Shock of Reality

Now that a full day and a half have passed since the horrific events in Virginia took place, I still find myself feeling shocked about the circumstances surrounding the case. I honestly didn't feel the reality of the shooting until turning on the news today and seeing the faces of a small number of the victims. I looked at these young kids and I saw myself, I saw my friends, and I saw my fellow classmates. These young kids shot, all of which were my age or a couple of years older, were just like me. Yesterday, while the shots were ringing throughout Virginia Tech's dormotories, I too sat in a college classroom surrounded by classmates and feeling secure. Of course I never questioned the feeling of security on Somerset Community College's campus, I suppose I just assumed that it would be provided for me. Now as the photos of the victims continue to filter out, I imagine they felt the same way as they filed in to their 900 AM morning French or Agriculture class. Yesterday, as I sat in class, and these events were unfolding, it never crossed my mind that I may not return home. I never imagined that the girl in the desk behind me, or the guy two rows away, may never be given the chance to continue with their lives and fulfill the dreams that brought them to class that morning to begin with. But, as we know, nearly three dozen of America's college students were faced with this outcome.

Although I am not a firm beleiver in prayer, I now find myself praying not only for the victims of yesterday's attack but for the my own classmates. Many of which I do not know the name that belongs to the face. The girl behind me in history class, the group of truly obnoxious kids in the corner of my Sociology class, and the Virginia Tech professor who lost his life while barracading the door of his classroom... I pray for them. I pray because no matter what name or click we give ourselves while we are young, the cheerleader, the geek, the jock, the overacheivor...in the face of evil we have no name. In the face of evil we are all the same...