Tuesday Morning

I remember stormy weather
 

The way the sky looks when it's cold
 

And you were with me
 

Content with walking
 

So unaware of the world

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ABw_IdNPgSs

As someone who was born and raised in the Midwest I am no stranger to the Amish community.

 At our local farmer's market we often see their smiling faces selling goods every weekend.

Their children in tiny white bonnets or little yellow straw hats stare in wonder at our water fountain in the town square.

I clearly remember the first time I saw an Amish man.

I was a giggling little girl, baffled about his appearance. I joked and told my mother he was too early for Halloween. 

My mother told me not to laugh and explained that he was simply Amish.

I wanted to know more about these curious people but I never asked.

A few years later after a long Monday, I came home from school.

I found my mother with a grave look on her face.

That morning, in Pennsylvania, a man walked into a one room Amish school house.

He ordered the teachers and boys to leave.

He lined up 10 innocent little girls in front of their classroom chalkboard.

He shot them and eventually took his own life.

On Tuesday morning and in the following few weeks, the world watched with broken hearts as the aftermath unfolded.

To us, the Amish seem magical. 

Their simple way of life is fascinating and intriguing.

Their lives were suddenly thrust in the spotlight in the worst way possible and everyone under the sun wouldn't leave them alone.

5 beautiful girls died.

The girls who survived had their lives changed forever.

The story is awful but it has a somber and heroic touch to it.

As survivors slowly began to speak of the day, there was one important and specific thing thing they wouldn't forget. 

Their 13 year old classmate.

A girl named Marian.

She begged the gunman to shoot her first, so that the others might be let go.

Her sister survived and clearly remembers her last words.

Her peers and family know her as a true hero. 

One of the youngest victims, a 6 year old, was not expected to live but pulled through.

It is said that to this day she is in a wheelchair and cannot speak but she smiles frequently and is able to recognize faces.

Tuesday morning
 

In the dark
 

We were finding out
 

Who we are

I remember hearing in the news that there wasn't a desk or chair in the entire classroom that was not spattered with blood.

Before these children could blink, their school house was demolished.

A new school was built and was named New Hope.

New Hope is exactly what the world thrived on.

As a whole, the Amish took our hands.

It didn't matter what culture we were anymore.

When tragedy strikes we find out who we are and we stand together.

Money is donated.

Flowers are given.

Hearts reach out to other hearts.

It's like a double rainbow at the end of a hurricane.

Back then (2006) we were shocked by the number of school shootings that were rapidly occurring.

Fast forward to today and they seem to be an everyday thing.

Shootings and school violence has frighteningly increased.

This needs to change.

As a teacher myself, I'd do anything to protect the lives of my little students. Even if I had to be killed in order to save them.

Going into this field I am fully aware that this could happen to me at any day or any time.

School shootings seem to be a growing trend in the US.

I am deeply ashamed and disgusted about this gun violence.

If you have a loved one, give them a big hug today.

You never know what tomorrow will bring.

 

And if you turned around to see me and I was gone
You should have looked outside your window
 the sun was coming up

As the news about the one room school house slowed down, Nicklemines Pennsylvania made headlines again.

The Amish families stunned us and forgave the man who took their children's lives.

If we want to see change, I think we should follow the lead of the Amish people.

Hatred doesn't help.

Anger won't fix anything.

We should act with grace.

Love one another.

Help one another. (Especially if someone is struggling with anything at all.)

Carry on kindness.

Be there for our children.

They are the future.

Our Future.

In loving memory of every child that has been a victim of an act of violence.

*Instead of posting a sad song, I've put up a song that reminds me of the spirit of children. I believe their innocence and joy is what should be remembered.*

Author's Note

Reviews

[Coyote Poetry]

A sad world when the children are not safe.
"Love one another.
Help one another. (Especially if someone is struggling with anything at all.)
Carry on kindness.
Be there for our children.
They are the future.
Our Future."
I agree with the above lines. All life is needed and worthwhile. Child or adult. Thank you for sharing the powerful story.
Coyote

[Jyoti_Ablaze]

This is shaming humanity! Innocent people and that also young children shot to death. This song of yours, Kathryn touched me to the core and I sincerely pray for these victims and their family.
Even though not being from America, this news had reached me when I was in school. It broke my heart to see the bloodshed.

And forgiving those culprits really need a big brave heart.
A moving write.

[Rajah de AzinPrinz Phyb..]

I don't think turn the other cheek means do nothing. I think it just means, sometimes, nothing you can do will make it right and may only make it worse. Touching story.

[wordman]

only a dam idiot would do stuff like this,and it happens daily.probably didn`t understand these people
so he lashed out,it wasn`t the gun it was his mental being,and the way he was taught

[....................]

the easier we make it to put guns in people's hands the easier it will be for those angry people to use them in the heart of the moment...i believe in a person's right to defend themselves and for people to have guns to hunt food, but there needs to be stricter laws for applied to the access of guns...

i really enjoyed your work, Kathryn...such great perspective you bring to this subject...

[Stars and Whales]

This is great! Really gives me a sense of what you're trying to say, and your style. excellent job...beautiful

[dexterous sam]

this one is a piece of art ...no one in this universe can deny it's beauty and charm....hail u :)))

[dan]

Kathryn, I remember the day, New Mines is here in PA where we live, about 130 miles from here in Indiana, PA. In fact there are several Amish areas in Indiana County, 5 to 10 minute drive from here. See them every weekend when I grocery shop, people give them rides into town, see them at Wal-Mart and Giant Eagle. That was an extremely sad day, and yes people in the area DID reach out across religious and cultural lines to help, my wife and myself included. Thank you for writing such a warm tribute to those in the Amish community, so brave and stoic yet so very human in their grief, I still pray for them. Nice Michelle Branch song to set the Tuesday Morning theme, now I'm going to listen to Opal's Theme. Very great write, nice to hear you are a teacher too (my only niece just graduated from Clarion University here in W. PA and got a job teaching 3rd graders in North Carolina. Teaching is a noble profession, good luck! take care...dan

[Kathryn Smith]

Thanks Dan. I find this piece very eerie now because of the Oregon shooting. :(