This particular entry has nothing to do with running but it has been weighing so heavily on my mind and I just need to get it off my chest. Don't read this if you don't feel like getting upset.
Lastnight I went to bed early (before 10) and when my husband came to bed he woke me up to tell me about something he had seen on the news. He was so choked up about it he fought back tears as he told me. Yesterday evening in the south end of our town, a man in his 20's who was driving down a county road with a toddler stopped on the road, removed the toddler from his truck and proceeded to stomp, beat and kick the toddler to a point that the toddler was no longer recognizeable. Other drivers passing by stopped and tried to pull the man away from the baby but he fought them off and continued to stomp the helpless little child. People were able to call 911 immediately and although ground patrol officers were unavailable, the police officer flying the helicopter responded and witnessed the brutality from overhead. He was able to land in the field next to the scene of the crime and as he exited the helicopter he repeatedly commanded the man to stop as he approached the man and child. The man would not stop and so the officer immediately fired upon him, striking him and killing him. The baby was transported to a local hospital and pronounced dead on arrival.
From all accounts, everybody that witnessed this horrific act did everything they physically could to try to stop that man from killing that little child. I just can't understand why this would happen. It is beyond comprehension. I spent a lot of time awake lastnight thinking about what happened and praying for all those involved... but had a hard time feeling anything but loathing for the now-dead suspect.
I looked at my children this morning and remembered the times of frustration I've felt toward them, but was so grateful that love, patience, law and common sense have always prevailed over anger and frustration. It's hard to come to terms with brutality like this, but asking God, "Why????" seems to take some of the burden away.
And on top of that, this morning on the news I saw that another police officer was shot and killed in a town a couple of hours north of here. The last I saw was that the gunman was still at large, and armed. At least police have the possible suspect identified and the news has plastered his photo all over the place.
I know incidents like these have nothing to do with me and are completely out of my control, but that doesn't take away any of the sadness and anger I feel about them.
Anyway friends, be safe. Love your loved ones. Do what you can to spread love.
Managing Hydration When You Are a Runner
4 years ago
10 comments:
Noticed you stopped by my blog GB......your exactly one month off with the birthday wish....your right on the day though.....the 12th of July I will be 48.....all I can say is how horrible of the incidents with the child and the officer.....nothing can explain these things....like you....it makes me appriciate my own children all the more.....one son just graduated high school last week and the other graduated JR high....be well GB.....
GB. I was tempted to send you an email today about that. I couldn't believe that sh*t when they mentioned it on the news. A good case to bring back public stoning.
You've probably heard by now that the suspect in the deputy's killing has been arrested. Not that it's consolation: The other story disturbed me when I heard about it last night, and then the details this morning just made it even worse.
Hang in there, and hug your kids again whenever you need to.
-A fellow NorCal runner (amateur, that is)
So sad. So very sad.
I know a ton of people who are trying to do good in the world--protect/support children, make a difference, be the best father/mother/sister/brother/friend/partner they can be, and sometimes I think we're all making a difference-- and then I hear something like this that reminds me we're so far away from protecting and supporting all people (big and small) who need it.
Big hug to you--
...............very, very sad. I'm without words to adequately describe how horrible this is. I'm going to go hug my little ones...
GB, I saw that news story and thought that it was in your home town. I was wondering how you would take it and if you knew the officer involved.
I thought about it again as I was hugging my kids. I don't know what could drive a person to that point.
I'll keep your last sentence close for a while.
I hardly watch the news these days because it seems all negative these days, overwhelmingly so anyway but I do remember reading about this story. I wish he wasn't killed so we could have found out what drove him to his madness; mental instability, drugs? I see God in the face of a young child and I can't imagine anyone harming one...but it happens, unbelievably.
I hope you recover soon from the bad, negative news.
I thought of you when I heard this horrible story on the news, knowing that is your neck of the woods. It is sad beyond words. :(
I did hear that they caught the man who killed the cop though, correct?
Give your kids an extra hug and keep spreading your positivity, the world needs it! :)
How depressing and sickening. I occasionally see abused kids at work, although not nearly as often as when I worked at a county hospital in residency. It's so wrong.
It's also depressing and sick how much pain, suffering and death we as a nation (and others) have inflicted and will continue to inflict on innocent people. Same with some multinational corporations in for the pursuit of profits (like for instance, Bechtel trying to take control of the water supply in Bolivia, as if they weren't poor enough). Sorry to get political on you, but to me it's a similar result, just different mechanisms and scales.
Having said that, I will go hug my family and try to be cheerful this week.
Thanks for making me tear up before 6am on a Saturday.
I've found that it's usually pointless to ask God "why?" If there is a reason behind everything, we'll never understand it while we're here on earth. When a child dies I tend to just tell myself that there must've been an empty swing set in heaven and call it a day. It's too difficult to try and make sense of anything else.
I love that through all of this YOU tell US to "be safe". Make sure you follow your own advice, tough girl.
Keep the faith. :)
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