Shoot

Now that it's made national news, I won't avoid posting about it.
There was a shooting here on post today, just a few hours ago.
Someone shot the shooter. No gender, name, motive, or any other details have been released.
I'm sitting in my office, waiting for Bunny to finish work and pick me up.
I'm bordering on numb and sick.
I know someone will mention Muslims. I just hope I won't be where I can hear it.

People make me so sad these days.

Someone felt that violence was their only option today. Now, they are dead.

Maybe that's what they wanted.
Maybe they were scared.
Maybe they asked for help and didn't get it.
Maybe it could have been prevented.

Nobody else died, as of the most recent reports.
Plenty of people will say the shooter got what he/she deserved.
I can't think that way, though.
What that person deserved was help.
They clearly didn't get that.

I'm tired of a world so cold, so full of violence and anger and hatred.
I've always been so unaffected by death, and now, someone I probably didn't even know is dead after trying to harm others, and I feel absolutely sick over it. When did death stop being part of the life cycle for me and something far more traumatic? When Danger died, I suppose. None the less, I wish I'd had the chance to help this soul before nobody could. That's what they are, you know, a soul. No different than you or I, except maybe they didn't have someone to listen like we do. Maybe that stranger telling them they should smile more would have made them understand the effect they have on the world, at least long enough to keep them from opening fire on a store full of people. Maybe that guy that was having a bad day and snapped at this soul instead of seeing his own pain reflected in their eyes could have made a difference to them, if only he'd slowed down a little bit, if only he'd taken the time to see this person as his brother or sister, and not just another face in the crowd.
Heaven is my father, Earth my mother, all mankind my brothers, and all living things my companions.