The news itself was hard enough. Unbelievable, unexplainable, and even then, incomprehensible.
But today was worse. That's because the pictures of those slain started to emerge. And not just serious photos, but photos of the Facebook variety. It was such a reminder that these were largely kids, with their lives in front of them, too young to ever imagine anything this horrific.
The service today was the first attempt of many to start the process of jump-starting life at VT and elsewhere among students. The president, in his role as pastor-in-chief, was fine–as were the other speakers. But the pain that is yet to come can hardly be imagined–from those students who will recall barricading themselves against a madman and will ask the inevitable question: Why did I survive when others did not?
No doubt, there will be an investigation and angry recriminations by those asking why the university waited two hours to alert students that a crazy man might be on the loose. Those are important–and valid–questions to ask. But the anger that so many feel now about security can't take the place of mourning the loss of those students and their teachers.
That's what we have to do, right now. Because we can't forget what happened at VT, and they can't be alone.
