Dawgy
09-11-2001, 09:43 PM
sorry for the long post, i have a lot to say.
i found out late this afternoon that the father of a boy at our highschool was killed in the collapse of tower 2. his mom came and got him out of class to tell him. i cannot even begin to imagine what he felt.
this strikes very close to home for me, because i periodically teach web design classes at the highschool and i know almost every student there, including him. this is a small town.
i have always had an open door policy to teens in this community, and immediately after school at least 75 or 80 kids, including this boy, converged on my tiny little house because they needed somewhere to go away from everyone & grieve together as a group, as friends, as kids. some of the youth ministers from various churches also showed up. a local pizza place showed up unexpectedly with enough food and drink for everyone, at no charge. even as i type this from my office, theyre all sitting around now praying and crying and just "being there" for our young friend. there is no discussion of blame. no discussion of politics. no hatred. no anger. there is only an incredible sense of love and compassion like i have never experienced before.
im reminded of a story someone told me once about a little boy and an old man that lived next door. the old man's wife of 65 years had just passed away, and he was sitting on his front porch sobbing. the little boy, 4 or 5 years old, walked next door and climbed into the old man's lap, where he sat silently for over an hour as the man continued to grieve. that night his mom asked him what he had been doing over there. the little boy replied simply that he was helping him cry.
too often we only see the negative side of kids - drugs, parties, sex, rock & roll, etc. tonite i see a different side. what i believe to be the real side. and it gives me a little glimmer of hope for this miserable world we live in. stop and take a look around sometime through the eyes of a child. then do something about what you see.
ok i have to get back to my house... i dont know how much i'll be around the next few days. i'll try to check in now & then.
give your kids an extra hug tonight when you put them to bed. hang on a little longer than normal. make that hug memorable. it'll matter.
peace.
i found out late this afternoon that the father of a boy at our highschool was killed in the collapse of tower 2. his mom came and got him out of class to tell him. i cannot even begin to imagine what he felt.
this strikes very close to home for me, because i periodically teach web design classes at the highschool and i know almost every student there, including him. this is a small town.
i have always had an open door policy to teens in this community, and immediately after school at least 75 or 80 kids, including this boy, converged on my tiny little house because they needed somewhere to go away from everyone & grieve together as a group, as friends, as kids. some of the youth ministers from various churches also showed up. a local pizza place showed up unexpectedly with enough food and drink for everyone, at no charge. even as i type this from my office, theyre all sitting around now praying and crying and just "being there" for our young friend. there is no discussion of blame. no discussion of politics. no hatred. no anger. there is only an incredible sense of love and compassion like i have never experienced before.
im reminded of a story someone told me once about a little boy and an old man that lived next door. the old man's wife of 65 years had just passed away, and he was sitting on his front porch sobbing. the little boy, 4 or 5 years old, walked next door and climbed into the old man's lap, where he sat silently for over an hour as the man continued to grieve. that night his mom asked him what he had been doing over there. the little boy replied simply that he was helping him cry.
too often we only see the negative side of kids - drugs, parties, sex, rock & roll, etc. tonite i see a different side. what i believe to be the real side. and it gives me a little glimmer of hope for this miserable world we live in. stop and take a look around sometime through the eyes of a child. then do something about what you see.
ok i have to get back to my house... i dont know how much i'll be around the next few days. i'll try to check in now & then.
give your kids an extra hug tonight when you put them to bed. hang on a little longer than normal. make that hug memorable. it'll matter.
peace.