Reflections

This past weekend has been a weekend of reflecting. Beginning with the sirens invading our neighborhood; Nathan and his friend Ben riding their bikes through the police cars and thinking there must have been a big robbery; thinking I should FB Amanda to find out what was happening on her street; to putting all the pieces together and figuring out that it was Amanda who was found dead in her house. It seems unreal. A girl whom I taught in SS and tutored in her home. Well, at least I tried, as her mom pointed out tonight at the funeral home. Amanda definitely wanted to do things her way.

What I keep thinking about, other than the obvious of how hard this must be for her mom and the fact that Amanda herself was a mom to two little girls who now have no parents (since the husband/dad took Amanda's life), is how much we don't know people. I knew Amanda when she was younger and later became her "friend" on FB. It seemed like she was doing good with her life. She was married, something that her neighbors were not sure of, and her girls were her life. This much was very clear by any posts she had on FB. But how much do we know our neighbors and what should I be doing to show love to my neighbors?

I also keep thinking about how evil is really real. I have a kid I see for therapy who lives in the projects. His mom was telling me that there had been a shooting there the other night. Of course this is horrible, but in today's world, our attitudes about these actions have been desensitized and we don't think too much of it. But what I really wanted to tell the mom was, "Yeah, that happened in my neighborhood too." Evil can happen and does happen anywhere.

But at the end of my reflections is a prayer for Amanda's mom and family and especially for her two little girls. And thankfulness that Amanda was saved and is now in heaven with her father. And also a prayer of thanksgiving for my husband who loves me and would not physically hurt me. And lots of extra hugs for my two boys who have their parents by the grace of God. Rest in peace Amanda.