I have been without internet all day so this post may seem a little late to most of you.
I can't believe that it has already been 10 years since Columbine.
I can distinctly remember April 20th, 1999.
Every anniversary I think about what a beautiful day it was, walking to lunch and hearing others talk about their pot smoking plans for the day. I was a little too innocent to know as a freshman that it was a day associated with pot but I remember hearing so much about it at lunch. I was just so excited that my mother and I had tickets to my favorite play that evening, Les Miserables. My next class was a science lab where on that day we were using one of the computer labs. I can even remember exactly where I was sitting when our principle came across the intercom and announced that there had been a shooting just a few miles away at one of our fellow Littleton schools.
I had the next period off and went home to watch the news in horror as we watched the tragic events unfold that day. I also vividly remember a few years prior to Columbine after the first school shooting, thinking that something like that would never happen in Littleton.
*
That day has forever shaped me as I know it has shaped our entire country. It will however be more real in my everyday life than any other world wide tragedy ever has. I watched the news today and relived the pain that our community is still recovering from and it brings tears to my eyes.
I also watch the current freshman class just a short 10 years later and the pain and confusion they bleed with all of their being. They are lost and confused, it use to be just a small few kids that you could picture doing something so horrific but now it is a massive group of kids. They are trying to find themselves and are mad at the world. Remember when we were in high school and cutting became an issue? You would read about it in a magazine or hear about on 7th Heaven but couldn't imagine anyone actually doing. The trend is on the rise and it is as common as drug use, I would say that every high school student now days knows someone who does or has self-injured themselves. It is just a picture of how broken and hurt today's youth are.
*
I tell you this not to scare you but to keep them in your prayers. I assume this is a trend all across our country but Littleton needs your prayers again. I know that I asked you for prayers last month here and I can tell what a difference that they have made! We seem to have less trouble each week at Young Life and I thank all of you for your prayers.
Let's all take a minute to pray for all the high school kids across our nation.
I can't believe that it has already been 10 years since Columbine.
I can distinctly remember April 20th, 1999.
Every anniversary I think about what a beautiful day it was, walking to lunch and hearing others talk about their pot smoking plans for the day. I was a little too innocent to know as a freshman that it was a day associated with pot but I remember hearing so much about it at lunch. I was just so excited that my mother and I had tickets to my favorite play that evening, Les Miserables. My next class was a science lab where on that day we were using one of the computer labs. I can even remember exactly where I was sitting when our principle came across the intercom and announced that there had been a shooting just a few miles away at one of our fellow Littleton schools.
I had the next period off and went home to watch the news in horror as we watched the tragic events unfold that day. I also vividly remember a few years prior to Columbine after the first school shooting, thinking that something like that would never happen in Littleton.
*
That day has forever shaped me as I know it has shaped our entire country. It will however be more real in my everyday life than any other world wide tragedy ever has. I watched the news today and relived the pain that our community is still recovering from and it brings tears to my eyes.
I also watch the current freshman class just a short 10 years later and the pain and confusion they bleed with all of their being. They are lost and confused, it use to be just a small few kids that you could picture doing something so horrific but now it is a massive group of kids. They are trying to find themselves and are mad at the world. Remember when we were in high school and cutting became an issue? You would read about it in a magazine or hear about on 7th Heaven but couldn't imagine anyone actually doing. The trend is on the rise and it is as common as drug use, I would say that every high school student now days knows someone who does or has self-injured themselves. It is just a picture of how broken and hurt today's youth are.
*
I tell you this not to scare you but to keep them in your prayers. I assume this is a trend all across our country but Littleton needs your prayers again. I know that I asked you for prayers last month here and I can tell what a difference that they have made! We seem to have less trouble each week at Young Life and I thank all of you for your prayers.
Let's all take a minute to pray for all the high school kids across our nation.
6 comments:
I cannot imagine what those kids went through as well as the town. It really makes you think what can possess someone to do that, especially kids.
Your younglife group has been on my prayer list since you posted about it last month. I'm glad to hear that it is improving! I love updates like that!!
I still remember this day vividly. It was hard for me then to imagine what your community was going through and it's still unimaginable. Just know that your community had the prayers of a nation on that day, and that you're still in our thoughts...
It's a horror no one should ever have to endure. You're right; we need to keep praying
I can't even imagine... In my thoughts and prayers :)
Very nice post.
I can actually empathize to some degree — when I was Sr. in High School there were two separate shootings in my suburban San Diego High School district at Santana High School and Granite Hills High School. While neither were as tragic at Columbine — the fear of being “locked down” in our classrooms while the Santana shooting was happening miles away and the sadness of that Spring still tug at my soul.
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