Words for Two Fellow Schoolmates

            I would like to give this post to honor two University of Central Missouri students, Jennifer Reeder and Erin Hook, who were killed in a car wreck near Clinton, Missouri on March 1, 2014. Hook was 20-years old, and Reeder was 19, four and five years younger than I am. I just thought I’d share the feelings that have been embedded in me for what seems like too long, and then wrap it up to why I’m doing this post so everyone please be patient with me. 

It just deeply saddens me and I got no sleep last night as I heard about it. I did not know these girls personally, but the thought of the discovery of those dead bodies on just a seemingly normal day for their friends, family, parents, and the like, and knowing that will stick to them for the rest of their lives simply left me tear stricken. Lying awake in bed, googling the names, feeling frustrated when a video of the deaths would not come up and saying, Just come on, feeling bad as my roommate woke to ask if I was ok. I know many good, true, kind-hearted people who I love to the end of my life and lives beyond who are affected by this tragedy, and wished simply that I could of hugged or held some in my arms, and learned that some more of my closest friends knew these girls, and I have spoken to one and gotten to do some of today, and agreed with him to go to a vigil for them with him, hosted by their sorority Alpha Sigma Alpha. I can only imagine their own parents running into friends not seen for so long, and not being able to catch up without such a profound tragedy being relevant to the talk. Anyway, I want all people reading this if they have any connection to the deep tragedy to know that you are in my thoughts, and everything I do from waking up, and it is the people I love who are the reason I do anything I think worthwhile. So if I can give a hand, an ear, an arm, or anything at anything to anyone I will and ask no one to feel any reservations of asking. Please do not worry about me. I am much more at ease helping anyone I can with this, and thinking of them and the girls in all I do, and I have much to do, but I cannot speak for everyone in the people affected so please know if this helps even in the slightest that I think of all of you, who I know and not. 

At this point I personally give much gratitude to the Buddha as usual, as I owe many of my own beliefs to him, such as the belief that love is what makes our time together worthwhile and possible, and creates the strong connection from compassion that is the greatest source of healing one’s being. Hopefully, just hopefully, all can find their source of strength as I talk about finding mine in all my writings hoping to move others to do the same.