What also pains me is that we have people normalizing the idea of arming teachers/school staff or turning schools into Fort Knox. We must continue to push for a world that makes sense for our children. I constantly think of my twin girls and how to explain this world we live in as they get older.
I go to brown, thankfully I was on my way back to my family for break but I was glued to my phone all night texting friends who were hiding and didn’t go home till 7am. It’s weird because on the news it seems like a mass shooting happens really fast but yesterday felt like the longest day ever. I’m scared to go back, I walk past hope st every day. I don’t know how to reconcile with the fact that such a horrific tragedy happened at my place of learning I shouldn’t have to worry about my life when I’m just trying to get my degree.
I was class of 2013. The last thing I want for anyone for a place with such promise of your whole life to turn into a space of fear and despair. Take good care of yourself. As a grief therapist and community oriented ceremonialist, this will need both personal grief spaces and community acknowledgment spaces. Make sure to connect with your friends and let them know you all might be touched quite differently and quite vastly from this.
Well said, Aaron. Life is mirroring the message coming from the top in our country, and guns have become an increasingly easy way to carry out the message. I am most sad for the families who will not be welcoming their college kids home for the holidays.
Agree with all of this. And as a parent who knows the "never-the-same-afterwards" pain of losing a child, my thoughts immediately went to the families and friends of the two students whose lives were senselessly taken. That pain stays forever and becomes a lifelong companion you wish you never had. Hopefully one day our gun-obsessed country will finally do something.
My husband, since retired was a professor in that building. It was really weird and unsettling to see it under siege. The windows in that building are, as far as I know, all sealed.
Unfortunately it was just a matter of time before this came to RI. When you have a government policy of shoot first, ask later-and killing people has become a solution to problems, in the united states....it's the guns, stupid. Thank you for sharing your well -stated thoughts on this- and for balance, the photos of your beautiful, innocent children!
Thank you, Aaron. Both of my sons went to Brown, and while every shooting is horrific and heartbreaking and sickening, this one hit extra hard. It is every parent's--and student's--worst nightmare. It is disgusting that our politicians will not do anything about this. I'm so glad that you and your family are safe--thinking of you from South Kingstown.
Thank you very much Aaron for sharing heartfelt thoughts. It is in community with others that cherish life, goodness and freedom that we can make the changes we need to, for our children, for all children.
From this fellow Brown grad: Thanks for this moving, insightful commentary, Aaron. Most Brown grads have mostly wonderful memories of good and meaningful times, and of personal and intellectual growth. On top of the immediate, horrific deaths and injuries spurting from this attack, how immensely sad that the recollections of the students currently there will be so scarred by this tragedy.
Well said, and I am glad that you and your family are okay! It's horrifying that school shootings have become so banal, as you said, that there were two Brown students at the shooting who were victims of previous school shootings :(
What also pains me is that we have people normalizing the idea of arming teachers/school staff or turning schools into Fort Knox. We must continue to push for a world that makes sense for our children. I constantly think of my twin girls and how to explain this world we live in as they get older.
I go to brown, thankfully I was on my way back to my family for break but I was glued to my phone all night texting friends who were hiding and didn’t go home till 7am. It’s weird because on the news it seems like a mass shooting happens really fast but yesterday felt like the longest day ever. I’m scared to go back, I walk past hope st every day. I don’t know how to reconcile with the fact that such a horrific tragedy happened at my place of learning I shouldn’t have to worry about my life when I’m just trying to get my degree.
I'm so sorry, Narmeen. Sending love.
I was class of 2013. The last thing I want for anyone for a place with such promise of your whole life to turn into a space of fear and despair. Take good care of yourself. As a grief therapist and community oriented ceremonialist, this will need both personal grief spaces and community acknowledgment spaces. Make sure to connect with your friends and let them know you all might be touched quite differently and quite vastly from this.
Love the kids in the snow.
Well said, Aaron. Life is mirroring the message coming from the top in our country, and guns have become an increasingly easy way to carry out the message. I am most sad for the families who will not be welcoming their college kids home for the holidays.
Agree with all of this. And as a parent who knows the "never-the-same-afterwards" pain of losing a child, my thoughts immediately went to the families and friends of the two students whose lives were senselessly taken. That pain stays forever and becomes a lifelong companion you wish you never had. Hopefully one day our gun-obsessed country will finally do something.
My husband, since retired was a professor in that building. It was really weird and unsettling to see it under siege. The windows in that building are, as far as I know, all sealed.
Unfortunately it was just a matter of time before this came to RI. When you have a government policy of shoot first, ask later-and killing people has become a solution to problems, in the united states....it's the guns, stupid. Thank you for sharing your well -stated thoughts on this- and for balance, the photos of your beautiful, innocent children!
Thank you, Aaron. Both of my sons went to Brown, and while every shooting is horrific and heartbreaking and sickening, this one hit extra hard. It is every parent's--and student's--worst nightmare. It is disgusting that our politicians will not do anything about this. I'm so glad that you and your family are safe--thinking of you from South Kingstown.
So well said, Aaron. And your children are so beautiful!
Thank you very much Aaron for sharing heartfelt thoughts. It is in community with others that cherish life, goodness and freedom that we can make the changes we need to, for our children, for all children.
From this fellow Brown grad: Thanks for this moving, insightful commentary, Aaron. Most Brown grads have mostly wonderful memories of good and meaningful times, and of personal and intellectual growth. On top of the immediate, horrific deaths and injuries spurting from this attack, how immensely sad that the recollections of the students currently there will be so scarred by this tragedy.
Well said, and I am glad that you and your family are okay! It's horrifying that school shootings have become so banal, as you said, that there were two Brown students at the shooting who were victims of previous school shootings :(
Thank you for your descriptive words.