Sharing something pretty first, before getting into the tragic news of what happened yesterday. These are the azaleas on the side of my house. They have been blooming for a couple of weeks, and I was glad the flowers were still there when I went outside the other day. We have had erratic weather here in East Texas, so many of the flowers are not happy. Almost freezing for a couple of days, then back to warm temps.
Because I was busy most of yesterday, I didn’t pay attention to any news reports until late in the day, and I was horrified to hear about another mass shooting. This one happened at First Baptist Church in the small community of Sutherland Springs, near San Antonio, Texas. About 11:30 on Sunday, a single gunman entered the church and opened fire, killing at least 25 people and injuring many others. The gunman was chased into another county, where he was killed; either by his own hand or police shooting.
According to a report in the New York Times, the ages of the wounded and dead ranged from 5 to 72. The gunman has been identified as 26-year old Devin P. Kelley, but no motive has been determined. Authorities do know that he was dishonorably discharged from the Air Force after assaulting his wife and child.
The weapon used was an assault rifle.
Sutherland Springs is a small community of only about 400 people, and most reactions are “How could this happen in our close-knit community?”
My question is “How could this happen anywhere?”
Are we going to do anything to stop it? Or just keep offering platitude such as those by Trump and Greg Abbott. Paraphrasing here, but both used wordage like, “Our thoughts and prayers are with the people in Sutherland Springs, Texas.”
Okay, how about using some power and influence to do something?
I’m in the midst of selling a house and trying to buy another, and the process has changed so much since my husband and I bought this place 17 years ago, I’m having to learn a whole new process. One element of which involves multiple offers on the same house, which feels to me a little like betting on a horse race.
Will my offer cross the finish line first?
Those multiple offers seem to happen more in large cities, such as those around Dallas where I am looking, and I have found several houses that I like, are affordable, only to have them go to another buyer. And new listings may only stay on the market 24 hours before being snatched up.
I’m doing lots of Yoga breathing to ease the stress. Also having talks with myself. “Chill, Maryann. It will all work out.”
To finish up the post today, here is a joke from Laugh Factory.
On their way to get married, a young Catholic couple is involved in a fatal car accident. They find themselves sitting outside the Pearly Gates waiting for St. Peter to process them into Heaven. While waiting, they began to wonder: Could they possibly get married in Heaven? When St. Peter shows up, they ask him. St. Peter says, “I don’t know. This is the first time anyone has asked. Let me go find out.” And he leaves.
The couple sit and wait, and wait. Two months pass and the couple are still waiting. While waiting, they begin to wonder what would happen if it didn’t work out; could you get a divorce in heaven?
After yet another month, St. Peter finally returns, looking somewhat bedraggled. “Yes,” he informs the couple, “You can get married in Heaven.”
“Great!” says the couple, “But we were just wondering. What if things don’t work out? Could we also get a divorce in Heaven?”
St. Peter, red-faced with anger, slams his clipboard onto the ground.
“What’s wrong?” asks the frightened couple.
“OH, COME ON!,” St. Peter shouts, “It took me three months to find a priest up here! Do you have any idea how long it’ll take me to find a lawyer?”
My apologies to the lawyers in my family.
That’s it for me for today, folks. Do you have any stories of moving to share? Please do.
Heard an update on the shooter on The Daily podcast this morning. Kelly’s conviction in the military court for assault was never entered into the National Database, which is why his name was not flagged when he bought the weapon. We do not need a ban on guns, we need better safeguards in place, and a tight restriction on what kinds of guns people can purchase. I own guns, and so many of my friends and relatives do, too, for sport and for hunting. But it does not take an assault weapon to bring down a deer.