I hear " Youth is wasted on the Young"

For the last few months, I am personally touched by someone I know that has lost a friend or a child of a friend These losses cause even more despair as they are a youth. Here at the holidays, it must be even harder to try to deal with the loss of a young child or a friend that is also a youth.

My wife has a friend that recently lost his son. He was 14 and at a school function. Seth played J.V. football and was with a group waiting for the bus to take them to the away game. Before the bus came, a group (including the coaches) decided to cross the street to get some snacks at a local convienience store. No more than Seth had taken a few steps , he was struck by a car (by a local firefighter) and was transported by ambulance and was pronounced dead within a few hours. It was a complete freak accident.

This is a very close knit family. The saying " family that pray together.... stay together" is a perfect way to describe ths loving family . My wife Kim has mentioned to me on several occassions.

This will be there first holiday without their wonderful son. He was a good hearted and great natured teen. Caring about and for others. Trying his best in school and doing quite well there. Not saying that if he wasn't these things ,the loss would be any different or less traumaitizing but mentioning because that is part of who Seth was.

Ken ( Seths Dad) seems to be dealing somewhat better than others because of his faith in God and his knowing that his son is indeed in a much better place. Kim and I also have the same thoughts and convictions but our hearts and mind can not fully comprehend such a huge loss and our hearts and prayers are very much with Ken and his family and especially here at the holiday season.

My daughter Paige came in last week, very distraught and crying. She informed me her friend from school (age 15) had been shot and was in critical condition. As I sit here and write this blog, My daughter is at Mikayla's funeral , along with the other four victems. They were between the ages of 8 to 17 years of age. There is still an on going investigation however as it is being told by the sheriffs department, the shooter was a 36 year old female and the mother of all the victems, except Mikayla. She dated the mothers son and lived with them as well.

My heart and mind absolutely can not wrap itself around any of this. How does a person do this? The mom is said to have killed herself lastly. The news and the sheriff indicate that she was having an affair with someone and that he was shot first and only in the shoulder. That was the first location and first shots fired. Then she is reported going home to shoot her children and Mikayla in the head with muliple shots. Lastly she is said to pick up another child from a friends home and to shoot him and then herself.

I feel sure there is much more to this Pleasant Garden ,North Carolina story but no matter what else is found......... the end result is these children have been taken away from family and friends...... with no reason..... and it is most difficult for myself and many adults to grasp. How are our teens and smaller children ever going to be able to make fit the pieces of this heart felt and terribly upsetting event? There are mental health councilors at the school and I am sure they are doing the best they can to help. This is so much for the youth to try to understand. My prayers are there with each child and the councilors trying to give comfort and understanding,

My title " youth is wasted on the young" Completely where it is suppose to be. They are suppose to learn and grow, reach new levels of competence and confidence. They are suppose to teach us about new ways of thinking , doing and growing . Our older wisdom's is to incorporate their laughter and learn to teach them with patience and unconditional love. As elders we need to show them that flaws are human and that forgiveness is as easy as " I'm sorry" and to sincerely mean it.

Again this is so much to feel as an adult, not to mention the family and youth of such incidents. My wish for this holiday is to be able to make sense of such horrific incidents and to be able to comfort all the above mentioned.... including my daughter and her friends .

Writing this tonight, is my attempt to put feelings on tablet and to let others know ..... as difficult as it is for many to fully grasp...... there are many of us that care and want to be there for others .....

peace on earth

Good night

Mia