Columbine

I finally saw Michael Moore's "Bowling for Columbine" the other day. Now I can't stop thinking about the tragedy. If I see a documentary or a film based on tragic true events, it's hard to get it off my mind. I was like that with 9/11 and the Cerak/VanRyn case of mistaken identity. For an excellent and inspirational read, check out the book "Mistaken Identity" written by the two families.

I was in 8th grade when the Columbine High School shooting happened. Up until a few days ago the only thing I really knew about it was that two boys went on a shooting rampage at their school. After seeing Moore's film I looked up more information about it. Apparently, after the event occurred a group of world-renowned psychologists and psychiatrists gathered to try and explain what happened - to figure out the "why." It was determined that one of the shooters, Dylan Klebold, was depressed and hot-headed. Had Columbine never happened, they said that Dylan could have overcome that phase in his life and went on to lead a normal lifestyle. Dylan was the one everyone called weird. The other shooter, Eric Harris, was deemed a clinical psychopath. Oddly enough, everyone called Eric nice and said that he was so respectful to adults. Dave Cullen (more about him below) stated that, "If [Eric] had lived to adulthood and developed his murderous skills for many more years, there is no telling what he could have done. His death at Columbine may have stopped him from doing something even worse."

Dave Cullen is an award-winning reporter/author. For almost 10 years now he has been researching Columbine. This April is the 10th anniversary of the tragedy, and at that time Cullen is publishing a 500-page book on his findings. Apparently Cullen has dug deep to get to the root of Eric and Dylan - to discover who they were and why they did it. I have pre-ordered the book and am curious to read it.

I also want to know how God plays into Columbine. My only guess is that tragedy brings us closer to Him, and hopefully there were many who were saved in the name of Jesus that day. Another question that has been racking my brain lately is how God relates to the psychopath. Eric seemed to have a fairly normal life and upbringing. His parents were not abusive. This leads to the question of whether a psychopath is born or raised. Some psychologists claim that psychopaths, those who do not have a conscience, are also without a soul. But the bible tells us that God made us in His image. That being the case, I do not think a psychopath is born a psychopath. How then do we explain it? I don't know. Hopefully some prayer and good reading will provide an answer.

Blessed

I really must stop complaining as much as I do. I have a blessed life. I catch myself complaining about the most ridiculous little things: There is a semi in the fast line slowing me down - he should NOT be there, my latte is cold, there isn't an ATM near our office and that is SO inconvenient, I have to commute so far to work these days, and so on and so forth. When I should be thinking: I am grateful that I can afford a car and am able to drive, I am lucky that I have the ability to buy a daily latte, I am blessed to have good credit and a checking account, I am blessed to even have a job in this bad economy... There are so many people in this world who have it much worse than I do. I am healthy and strong. I don't have any illnesses, diseases or disabilities. I have a wonderful husband, a beautiful house and an adorable dog at the age of 24. Yes, I have had my share of tears over the years, but my experiences have been minor compared to those of other people. It is my new goal to remember all of this and be grateful to God for all that I have each and every day.