And Yet. . .

Events like the shooting at Virginia Tech and the hunt for Jeffery Carney, when reflected upon, lead us to think about what we might do better if we found ourselves in a similar situation.

When I talked to a counselor from the local Victim/Witness, I came to understand that a big part of my distress at being on lockdown yesterday was a feeling of powerlessness. Had the problem actually at my school, I might have been able to be proactive. I desperately wanted to do something - to do more than just minimize the concerns of a variety of adolescents with a whole range of reactions to an unfamiliar situation.

One of the coping mechanisms that the therapist and I came up with was to prepare a plan for the possibility of a "next time." I'll be sure to keep games, movies, and other "sponge activities" on hand from now on, probably some snacks, and most importantly, I'll prepare myself mentally for the idea that no matter how many times I face a scenario like this, each one will be different, and I will never get a "do-over" of the Lindhurst incident, nor do I need one. I did fine the first time, and I did fine yesterday.

The present is always more important than the past. All the same, reflection is better than mindless ogling.