Nothing that we should desire

Thoughts spring, unformed and incomplete, in my head, only to dissipate like the morning dawn when I attempt to grasp them. But I feel the need to communicate what I can of them, so here goes.

Today, there was another bombing. This one was on our side of the mountains, a couple kilometers from us. As many or more innocents were killed today as the ostensible target, a military convoy. Yesterday, there was another bombing, but the one today feels closer to home, because I definitely heard it. I was walking down the street to buy nan for breakfast when the bomb went off. I just walked down and bought my nan, walked back to school. What else am I supposed to do? What else can I do?

I know that some of you that read this probably don't want to think about things like suicide bombers, or children dead, their only apparent wrong being happening to be on the street when a bus full of police drive by. I know I don't want to think about it. All the usual questions run through our heads - what is wrong with these people that they think this is a good thing? Who could imagine doing this to themselves or another human? I know I wonder at this, and know all of the logical answers to this question. Still, I can't help but shudder at the mindset that lets this be acceptable.

Tying in with this in a way is the fact that many of our staff around here have been sick or are sick, with congestion, flu, or just the 'K-place Krud.' I subbed for one of our teachers the other day, and today I made one of my friends go inside and not stand around outside when she had lunch duty, because I can stand outside and watch kids just as well. As I was standing out there, watching these kids run around, playing like 5 through 9 year olds are wont to do, I can't help but think about what kinds of ideologies some of these kids, especially the local kids, are going to be exposed to in the coming years. What will reach out and try to grab and distract them? It only reinforces to my mind the theme of the school this year, "Seeking More Than Knowledge." We want our kids to learn critical thinking skills, learn to decide for themselves. Not be dragged away and enticed by the words of a smooth-talker with emptiness behind them, whose mouth stretches like an abyss.

So much to be thankful for, and so much to remember.