As I continue to struggle with the tragic loss of life in Charleston, and my tears continue to fall, I do the only thing that seems to help- I write. I thought I’d share in hope that it might help someone else.
Nine lives brought to a sudden halt
Nine lives lost- creating infinite ripples throughout the world
Nine lives leaving craters behind
Craters that can’t be filled
Now there’s:
A church with no pastor…
A library with no librarian…
A track team with no coach…
A young man, 26 and the youngest to die,
willing to sacrifice himself
To protect his elderly aunt –
An elderly aunt who was killed anyway and oldest to die…
A ministerial staff member who no longer lives to serve…
A choir member whose voice is forever silenced…
Another church without a pastor…
And, a church with no sexton.
Yet I continue to struggle…
How can one so young have such senseless hatred?
How can a mind be so poisoned and a heart so hard
That it can wreak such chaos and senseless destruction-
Creating craters that can’t be filled?

Summer 2015