Drama is over and school has resumed

Great news!  Little Ethan is safe and the bad guy is history.  We started back to school this week.  I really have to commend this area.  They really stepped in to help out.  It seems like everyone, young and old, was banded together during this tragic event.  I saw senior citizens working with children to deliver food, blankets and miscellaneous items to the law enforcement and television crews standing vigil at the scene.  Thousands of people gathered to pray and discuss what was going on.  The restaurants were fabulous by donating food to all the people involved.  Mr. Poland's funeral service was so nice.  Hundreds turned out for it.  Some of our JROTC students attended in uniform and lines of buses led the processional. It just goes to show you how strong a community can be.  This past Monday, when the students returned to school, I didn't hear anyone complaining about being back in school. There was no fear of riding the school bus or anger or hostility towards the man responsible or his family.  It really does a soul good to be able to witness the unity of an area when tragedy occurs.  I feel very privileged to call these people my neighbors and friends.  They have included me, an outsider, into their community with open arms and I am so grateful.  I have lived places where that type of good Christian neighborliness doesn't happen.  I have lived places where people are suspicious of outsiders.  I have lived in areas where people who are different in any way are made to feel like they don't belong.  I have heard false friends gossip and lie about people out of jealousy or fear.  Sometimes, teachers get to the point where they believe it's them against the world.  They feel as if they are not making any positive impact on their students.  Sometimes, they get to the point where they throw their hands up and say, "what's the use?"  I notice how when teachers mistreat students it makes the papers worldwide, however, when students mistreat teachers, no one seems to care.  Can you imagine what the news would look like if every time a student abused a teacher, it made the news?  CNN would have to add a "Student News" studio and have 24 hours of non-stop news about it.  We spend so much time keeping the adults in line that we forget that kids are accountable for their behavior too.  Okay, I'll get off my soapbox.  For now, all is safe and happy...at least in my little spot of the world.