Emotional Overload

If ever I've had a "case of the Mondays," today was the day. I began the day with dicussion in my Spanish class about the desaparecidos of Argentina and the torture and murder associated with the country's last dictatorship. After, we watched the film Garaje Olimpo which depicted (rather graphically) the scenes of torture and horror in the concentration camps. Already feeling disparaged about the plight of the human race and our propensity for violence, I learn that an innocent family in the town where I teach was terrorized by two villians who invaded their home around 3am, and held the family hostage until they could take the mother to the bank in the morning to make a withdrawal while the father and two daughters were kept at the home. (I happen to do my banking at this same bank). This mother happens(ed) to be a nurse at my school, Jenn Petit. As I went through the phases of shock, sorrow, concern, wonder and the feeling of being utterly perplexed as to how anyone could be capable of such destruction of human life in such a violent and terrifying manner, I fail to understand why? and how?

Now, I think to the impact this will have on the community and how we will continue to be affected...As a boarding and day school, we establish close relationships, and I try to imagine how my colleagues and students will be reacting to this harsh reality. I wonder how well we will do to preserve their memory or how Dr. Petit, Jenn's husband will cope with the deaths of his wife and two daughters, and the circumstances surrounding this horrific event. I realize how close to home violence can be. I wonder how I will be able to support my colleagues and students during a time in which they will be coping, grieving and trying to make sense of this situation. Most of all, I wonder if, as a human race, we will ever put an end to these types of cruelities and behaviors...

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