Lessons Lived

PaynterinFlorida has watched from afar, feeling a sort of kinship to the people he's seen and known from his life back in Pennsylvania as they sort through the madness of such an unspeakable, let alone unimaginable act.

I was even driven to write to my old paper the Philadelphia Inquirer to express my grief and outrage. Ironically enough, just below my comments are those of a Mr.Gootlieb and a Mr. Workman both of whom argue for MORE guns, by empowering school officials and janitors to carry guns--- good idea guys, and perfect time to pitch that plan? How obscene is this? These little girls died because of guns, yet these two call for more guns? My anger is towards those who allow and even lobby against any form of gun reform in this huge expansive country of ours where seemingly anyone can have, get a hold of, and possess a firearm.
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When after the the dust settles, the facts are known, and the healing begins, there will be lessons learned. Bravery, humility, forgiveness, kindness, and faith are but a few of these lessons.

Still, grief clouds the reality of what has actually happened. More devastating than any crime that has been committed would be the losses that must now be absorbed by those most affected by this tragedy. The loss of daughters, sisters, and granddaughters to such a small and unique community is without doubt a devastating blow to the people known as the "plain people". Yet as painful as the physical loss is, there is another loss though not as profound, this is a loss that the community at large may never recover from. The loss of innocence and security these hardworking and historically rich people once enjoyed is most likely forever gone in the minds and hearts of the parents and children involved. This ripple affect will continue through the Amish community as today's generation of children become tomorrow's parents.

Equally as powerful as this past weeks' loss would be the lessons currently being absorbed and taught to today's children and tomorrow's parents. These are lessons that all people of faith and heart can only hope to learn. Forgiveness. There can be no greater test nor display of one's faith than the events of this past week in Pennsylvania. Still by all accounts the Amish community is being being portrayed as a forgiving and non-vengeful society. Long noted as exclusionary from the outside world, we've even seen the Amish reaching out to the outside by publicly asking for the public to pray for the family of the man who has taken their children. And as our technologically saturated world stays glued to the TV for details, the Amish somehow provide us the strength to accept what we cannot understand in their quiet humility and steady march towards the cemetary. I suspect this is one time when a lack of television and computers is actually a saving grace.

I could only pray for such grace. As a parent myself to a little girl the same age as these girls I honestly doubt I could forgive, at least not yet. Americans by their very competitive nature are not quick to forgive, rather we're quicker to revenge or 'justice". Sadly, in a case such as this, there is no revenge, or justice for that matter, only lessons. Contrastingly, we are just now discovering the bravery and composure of these little girls as they steadfastly approached their final moments armed with something much more powerful then their captor's weapon---their faith.

For many people who either haven't seen or lived near these fascinatingly private people, the only contact they may have had would be through movies or books. Philadelphian's are lucky in this respect, located just short drive away to the beautiful country and peaceful life of the Amish. I'm reminded of a scene in the Harrison Ford movie Witness when Harrison Ford playing police detective John Book moves to physically defend himself and the Amish father. In the scene the father chides Ford's character regarding violence saying "It's not our way", to which Ford responds "It's my way".

Apparently hatred is not the Amish way either. It has been widely reported that the grandfather of one of the victims has asked for the community to pray for the family of the murderer as well as letting his widow know that his family forgives her husband for what he has done. Heavy stuff for sure. Now I'm reading that the mother of one the victim's had invited the widow of the shooter to her daughter's funeral. Could any one act or words speak to the character of a community more than this? This is the Amish way.

We will come to learn many facts in the coming weeks regarding mental health, gun laws, and how best to safeguard our children's schools. Hopefully the people who posess the power to affect such changes act expediently and in a non-partisan manner, especially when it comes to gun law reform. The contrasting images of peaceful farmlands, and horse-drawn buggies surrounded by the intrusive world media resources will soon fade, leaving but the memories and the lessons. Leaving in its wake will be a community struggling to return to a normal existence as both the Amish and the "outsiders" struggle to make sense of what happened.

Ironic in a way that a people with so much less in the way of gadgets, technology, and sophistication have so much more when it comes to faith, forgiveness, and humility, in the overwhelming face of utter despair and pain. Again, the Amish way.