Horror.....

....that was the one-word headline in large, bold print on this morning's Times-Dispatch front page.

These things happen in Colorado, or California, or Texas....

...certainly not in, of all places, Blacksburg, Virginia.

I didn't make it to work Monday; meds and nerves took their toll after all that happened from Wednesday on. I got up at 1pm to go online and help out the ladies a bit when I saw a headline on my home page, "live coverage of shooting at Virginia Tech". I thought, what?

I turn on the TV and suddenly life felt surreal. At that time, 22 dead I believe was the report. At Tech? Why? What? How?

As I work here on the computer, I turn to my left and see the horror continue to unfold.

Some thoughts:

1) There will be much said about the shooter. Seems now they are getting at least a glimpse of his problems and some people at Tech had suspicions about him.

2) What should NOT be inferred is that "well, he took medication for depression, and so does my best friend at work, I guess he might go postal next!". That's bullcrap.

3) Va Tech police, et al, handled the situation AS WELL AS THEY COULD, given all the facts known. When is the last time your town or city announced a lockout everywhere within the town or city limits because there had been a domestic shooting? After three or four of those happenings, you don't believe them anymore. And THAT would be the ONE time all hell would break loose. They did the best they could. My only question is why there was not more of a pursuit for whoever was the perpetrator of that first shooting. Why did they think he'd gone out of state? That, I don't get.

4) Gun control. Here we go already. No funerals yet, and we're already fighting politically. Virginia is the 2nd "easiest state" to buy a gun, one report said. Funny, I don't remember hearing, "...a gun shot and killed 32 people before turning it on itself...". There was a human being involved.

---I was impressed by both Gov. Kaine and President Bush at the commencement today. Words of healing, reminder, and many thoughts of God.

Virginia Tech meant "Hokies", "Gobblers", "Michael Vick", "Frank Beamer", "Seth Greenberg", "Lane Stadium", bowl games, et al...to all of us around here....

....until early yesterday morning. Now, the term "Virginia Tech" never will mean the same.

FINALLY------I was INCREDIBLY IMPRESSED by the way students that were interviewed all over TV yesterday were composed, were mature, were just, I'm not how exactly to describe it but if I were Tech's President, I would be so proud of how the students of Virginia Tech tore down any notions of Tech being just "the home of the worst shooting in U.S. history", but of a University of young men and women who are shocked, who hurt, who will continue to hurt, but one day, by God's grace, this event will help them in some way to lead their families, their communities, and this nation.

And AS that happens, beginning with yesterday...I know for sure that no one who was killed yesterday died in vain.

I'm prouder to say, "I love the Hokies" today more than ever before.