Holding to the Ground as the Ground Keeps Shifting

I heard about the AZ shooting through one of my breaking news email alerts. I read the synopsis, exclaimed something, and told Sylvia what had happened. We did not turn on the news. I continued to check the rest of my emails, and threw in another load of laundry.

When more email alerts came in, I read them and continued my day. I helped Riley make dinner. We turned on music.

It may seem cold, but for me, it was the best course of action.

After the girls went to their room for the night, I read some more on the shooting, and learned of the heated tweets going on and all the rest of it; Palin is to blame, MSNBC should be ashamed of themselves, and then the attacks on anyone who supports Palin or MSNBC.

I understand the anger, the frustration, the tragedy of a little girl's life taken too soon. But this can't be the answer.

Of course, this happens on the heels of my post about sticking my head in the sand when it comes to the news. And I will not turn on CNN tonight (or any other news, for that matter). Because I don't think I can stomach it, and watching it won't change what has happened or help those who have suffered unimaginable loss today. There's nothing I can learn tonight from a talking head. I will never understand how someone could do such a thing. I mourn for the parents who lost their child today, for loved ones who lost friends, and I mourn for the shooter's mother, and anyone else in his life who loved him. I'm sure they couldn't imagine he could do such a thing, either.

I will tell my girls I love them, finish the laundry, and tomorrow, I will vote for our state convention delegates.

As could be expected of me, the news today brought to mind a song. The title of this post is taken from a lyric from William Finn's Falsettoland:


Holding to the ground as the ground keeps shifting
Trying to keep sane as the rules keep changing
Keeping up my head as my heart falls out of sight