A Visit to Virginia Tech

A. and I took the girls over to Blacksburg today to visit my youngest sister, who still lives in the area. After a great lunch at a local eatery, we took a stroll over on campus to enjoy the great weather and the beautiful scenery. Another goal, though, was to stop at the memorials that had been established for the victims of the April shootings on campus; MB got bored early and wandered with my sister on down to the duck pond, but A. and I (with our youngest) stayed behind to spend some time at the memorials.

I wasn't prepared, however, for just how emotional the experience would be for me. I was certainly very concerned about my sister's safety the day of the shootings, as well as that of any of her friends in the college community. Being removed from it like I was, though, I could only begin to imagine just how difficult it was for the Blacksburg community and the families of the thousands of students in the days after the event. When I saw the memorial to Professor Librescu (above), my emotions stared to get the best of me.

And as we walked and looked at the subsequent memorials blanketed with flowers, notes, pictures, and mementos left by friends and family members, I really got emotional. A picture of one of the victims with a friend, and a note left by that friend asking that God watch over her. Another picture of a young man in his lacrosse uniform -- an example of just how vibrant each of the members of the Virginia Tech community these people were. From a certain angle, all of the individual memorials blended together (above) into one large display, another example of how, while this may be a college made up of thousands of men and women, it is also a single family.

Amazingly, and in a touching display, the central area of campus was ringed by banners and messages sent from other colleges around the country. As but one of many examples of the message of concern and love they demonstrated, one sent by the student body of San Diego State University read:

San Diego State
Aztecs
Hokies

Behind it all, one of the main buildings on campus towered behind the beautiful, touching, emotional displays. If there was any sure sign of the continuing strength of this beautiful place and wonderful community, it is this building.

A Day of Silence

Day of Blog Silence - April 30

I saw this notice posted at Bob's blog and wanted to be sure to include it here. With apologies to Bob for not coming up with an original explanation, let me quote from his posting on the purpose of this day of silence:

"Silence can say more than a thousand words. This day shall unite us all about this unbelievable painful & shocking event and show respect and love to those who lost their loved ones. On April 30th 2007, the Blogosphere will hold a One-Day Blog Silence in honor of the victims at Virginia Tech. More then 30 died at the US college massacre. But it´s not only about them. Many bloggers have responded and asked about all the other victims of our world. All the people who die every day. What about them? This day can be a symbol of support to all the victims of our world!"

Hokie Hope

Prayers for Virginia Tech

Absolutely horrific events today on the campus of Virginia Tech, and the second time in a year that violence has touched the small town of Blacksburg (about 90 miles from where I grew up in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains). I've heard many of the news reports about what happened, and even a lot of theorizing as to why it happened, but I still cannot understand it.

33 people lost their lives in an environment that should logically be one of the safest -- a college campus. With wars being fought in Iraq and Afghanistan, and violence touching the largest cities of the United States, you wouldn't think that something like this -- the worst example of this type of violence in the history of the country -- could take place in a small town in southwest Virginia. 33 young men and women, some of whom I'm sure were looking forward to graduating in a matter of weeks. 33 young men and women who, when they left their dorms or apartments this morning, weren't thinking beyond the next lecture, the next exam, or the next date.

I pray for the victims, for their families, for the many others who are in the hands of surgeons and medical staff at numerous hospitals in the area. I pray for the college administrators, grief counselors, and chaplains who will have to help the thousands of other students who have been touched by this horrific event work through their anger, their grief, and their shock.

And I pray for my youngest sister, who is a graduate of that school, lives not far from campus, and has many friends in the area. As of this writing, I don't know if she knew any of the victims, but I pray that if she did, she finds comfort in a community that will most definitely come together in a show of unity -- of family -- that will be needed to cope with the feelings and stress in the days and weeks to come.