Remembering A Year Ago

I realize it has been over a year, but I didn't get around to blogging about this, or much of anything last week. Around this time last year, evil made it's face known to blacksburg, VA. Thirty-three people were killed, and many more injured in one of the worst shootings (as if any shooting is good) in American history. Reading my friend Matt's book brought the story home much more vividly.

I remember watching footage on television. Television puts some distance between us and the events that shake our world. Interviewers from every major network were having conversations with survivors and prominent people in the Virginia Tech community. My friend Jim was on Larry King Live talking about the response of the faith community during the event. My friend JR flew in from Los Angeles, and last week, put together a very extensive blog entry reflecting on his experience with the tragedy.

Looking back from a year later, I still have a myriad of emotions. You see, I was distant from the shooting. I had friends there, sure, but I wasn't there. My friends had to walk through this tragedy though. The day after the shootings, I was on my way to a conference which was supposed to have some of my friends from Blacksburg and other places at it. On my way, I got a phone call from my sister. My mom was getting taken to the hospital. It was supposed to be a precautionary measure. I drove for a few miles and then turned around to be with my mom and family. My buddy Brian Shope was in the car with me and he helped me make my decision.

When I think about the tragedy at Blacksburg, I also think about my mom, and her fight against cancer. Looking at my blog entries from a year ago, it was cool to see how family just surrounded and cared for my mom.

The same thing happened at blacksburg too. Blacksburg is a lot like the town where I live, Morgantown. There is a sense of family and community there. And one year ago, that family walked through one of the most challenging moments of their history. And one year later, they remember. They remember where they were, what they were doing and how their life was changed.

So do I.

May we all take some time today to cherish the friends and family we have, and to remember a year ago.