After the tragedy that occurred in Connecticut this morning, it somehow seems wrong to post the piece I wrote for today. It’s just too… I don’t know… happy maybe. Frivolous. Unimportant in the face of much more important matters. A post about insects or entomologists just doesn’t feel right today. Perhaps a happy, frivolous post might be a nice distraction for those of you who might like to think about something else, but I feel like I need to say something in response to the shootings at Sandy Hook Elementary School:
No matter how big your problems are, no matter what horrible lot you’ve been handed in life, I do not believe that shooting and killing another human being – even yourself – is EVER the answer to your problems. Incidents such as the one that occurred in Connecticut today should not happen. That shooter murdered innocent little children, robbed their parents of something precious and those children of their future. For those children that survived, their lives will never be the same. They will have to live with the horror of making it through this day, of hearing gunshots over the intercom system, of seeing fallen friends and teachers in the hallways as they fled for their lives. Can you even imagine that experience? Those children were robbed of their innocence today. They were confronted with a heinous situation that no one should EVER have to face, compounded by the fact that many of those involved are too young to even understand what happened. That is horrible, and completely unacceptable.
My heart goes out to everyone in Newtown, CT tonight. To the parents who lost their children today, I can’t even begin to understand your loss, but I know it is profound. I cried for your children today, and I do not cry lightly. For those that were lucky enough to retrieve your children from the firehouse after the shootings, hug those kids tight, now and forever. Your children are going to need your help to overcome the losses they’ve experienced today and need all the love and support they can get. To the families of the adults who were lost, the brave teachers and the principal of the school who fought to protect the children at the expense of their own lives, I am so sorry for your loss. Your loved ones were heroes and I, and countless others, will forever remember them as such.
Sorry to be such a downer today, but I felt the need to say something about this. Best wishes to you all and may you be safe at home with the people you love tonight.
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The Dragonfly Woman 
Glad you stopped to remember. I can’t imagine how those teachers stayed calm enough to keep the children calm. How will those involved pick up the pieces and carry on. So sad.
Agreed. Very sad, but those teachers were amazing. I’m not sure I would have responded so well in their situation.
Appropriate words. I support your choice not to post. Condolences to all.
Thank you. Last night I was writing a very cheery post about a great day I had this week and I was about to upload it to the site. Suddenly felt like it wasn’t the right time to talk about the good things happening in my own life, though, so I wrote this instead. I just wanted to be sad, you know?
Thanks, Chris
Such a sad day…
Can’t agree with you more, sometimes family and friends are all that matters.
My friend from our research lab just passed away a few days ago from a car accident. So I am grieving a lot lately.
My heart goes out to the families and friends of the victims and all of those impacted. The world is feeling very grim lately.
So sorry to hear about your friend. It’s always terrible to lose someone you care about.
We all need to pause and put our personal petty problems to one side and renew our empathy for others.
Agreed. I can’t believe things like this keep happening. It’s just so senseless!
What insects do in their lives to survive makes sense, what humans do…
Agreed. I just don’t understand what pushes people to do these sorts of things.
Please write your regular post. 100,000 people, including children, died in a tsunami and you didn’t feel the need to comment. You are an expert in entomology, not psychology. We want to read your thoughts but really, we are saturated with Sandyhook, the media and everyone else is talking about it. Enough already. Unless you have something new to add or are advocating a solution, don’t bemoan this tradegy in a blog dedicated to expanding knowledge.
I am sorry you disagree with my decision to write this post, but thank you for taking the time to respond. I simply did not feel it was appropriate to post a story about a really good day I had this weekm, even though I had it completely written, while so many people are reeling from this tragedy. You’re welcome to disagree of course, and you’re right that I don’t offer any solutions. I feel that it would be egotistical of me to suggest that I have the answer to these sorts of problems because, as you rightly pointed out, I am not qualified to do so. Insects are FAR more straightforward than humans will ever be…
I will return to my regular posting style in the very next one, but this tragedy struck me harder than usual. I just couldn’t bring myself to talk about the good things in my own life on such a sad day. I hope you will understand.
I’m having the same difficulty with my blog. I had something lighthearted planned, but it just seems inappropriate this weekend.
Nancy
I’m glad I’m not the only one. My post for yesterday was going to be this really happy little post about several great things that happened in my life last week. Then I spent nearly the whole day yesterday at a work holiday party eating great food and hiking with people I really like. Only when I sat down to post my happy little Friday 5 post after a beautiful day did I even learn about the shootings. Suddenly the post seemed SO wrong. I’ll post it next week, when it won’t feel so inappropriately happy.
I left work early to go to the botanical gardens for the late afternoon sun and the night light festival when I heard the body count. I had to keep reminding myself that this was a special treat and to relax and enjoy the afternoon I’d been looking forward to with such eagerness. I got some great pictures, but haven’t felt yet like editing them.
I did say a prayer as I headed into the gardens, which helped, then prayed more about it last night. But still. . . what a tragedy. My husband’s teenage cousin died suddenly on Christmas Eve (undiagnosed heart problem) when we were kids and his family was never the same.
Nancy
I’d hate to think the world is turning into hell. So much hatred and evil around. Sending light and love to all victims and their families of this horrible tragedy.
I try to see the best in people and I still, and always will, believe that people are inherently good. I don’t think the world is going to hell – yet at least. But days like yesterday shake my happy little worldview pretty harshly. It’s hard to believe in the good in people when you’re faced with something that horrible, you know?
I understand that and agree with you, this sort of thing makes people hide in their shells and become wary.
I understand completely and appreciate your decision not to post waht you had ready.
What happened was shocking in every way, and teh sentiments you express I would like to echo, but cannot do so as eloquently as you have done, with your well-chosen words and balanced piece.
My heart, too, goes out to all who have suffered as a result of this insane event.
It was shocking. Truly shocking. I really want to understand why someone would do something like that, but I don’t think I’m ever going to…