The Virginia Tech Ripple Effect

My heart sank when I first read the news of the Virginia Tech incident.

When events like this happen I immediately think of the ripple effect of the primary event. In this case, the gunman took the lives of innocent students sitting in their dorm or their class rooms.

Certainly those students lives are irrevocably changed...those who died definitely, but even those who were injured and will have to live on with the memory of what they witnessed.

Their families are impacted. Their friends are impacted. Their classmates and teachers are impacted.

But the ripple effect doesn't stop there. Everyone at the school and in the community will remember the events of this day for the rest of their lives.

Students in other schools and their parents also had a wake up call...once again it's so clear how fragile life can be...even when you least expect it.

Each of the individuals impacted by this event have been thrown into the transition with little or no warning. They must now pull together sources of support to help them weather the emotional storms ahead. When you can see a transition coming, you can prepare...in situations like this, you must "prepare" after the fact by finding your safe place, by reaching out for support, by looking at your options after the pain has hit.

The next step will be to heal...the waves of grief are showing now through the shock...unfortunately, that's just the beginning of the feelings of loss. Some may not feel the true depths of their grief for several months. The body and mind have a way of anesthetizing us immediately after an event of loss. The numbness keeps us from feeling everything at once. That's just as it should be.

I hope those impacted by this transition can find solace and support. That they honor their own needs and nurture themselves in whatever way works for them. For some it may be returning to routine. For others it may be to return home to the safety of their family. For others it may be changing schools. We must trust each person and give them the opportunity to do what's right for them, even if it doesn't make sense to us.

Comments

[Sandra]

Carol, how true your words! Society has indeed been affected by this tragic event... as an administrator at a local community college, I have noticed that my institution (and the other colleges and universities in my city) have become very sensitive to the smallest safety issues. While I certainly understand the need to seek safety, we can't hide from life. My institution created a space for students to discuss the situation and their fears. Many of our students chose to reach out to Virginia Tech students as a way to overcome a feeling of helplessness.