Honoring the memory of heroes

Processing the murder of someone is always a difficult journey. Even if you weren't close, but had known them growing up emotions run high. This with what many of us from Westerville South High School Class of 1997 are going through right now with the murder of Officer Eric Joering.

Family, friends, co-workers and the community at large are all finding ways to grieve and make sense of what transpired on February 10. Two officers/husbands/fathers/sons/brothers went to follow up on a call and moments later, after only doing their jobs, their lives were ended. Why, because a person who legally should not have had a firearm decided that he would take their lives.

Tears have been falling around Westerville, Central Ohio and beyond as memories of these outstanding LEOs are brought forth and shared. The support of LEOs has outshone the negative responses toward them and the outpouring of donations, monetary and food, has been overwhelming to those closest to the officers.

I have seen people ask "if the suspect was a convicted felon, how did he have a gun?" The criminals will always find a way to get what they want. Laws do not stop those who are hell bent on having their own way, no matter who gets hurt in the process. This time it was two officers who one will not be able to walk his daughter down the aisle in a few months when she gets married and the other has several daughters who will now grow up without a father.

No words will ever ease the pain that those closest to the offers are feeling. We can only hope that they know they have the love, prayers, thoughts and support of many as they find a way to continue on in life.

Beauty can be found if you look...

As we start February, the weather is again cold and snowy and sometimes it is hard to find beauty in our surroundings. The gray days make it hard to find those positive thoughts and the New Year that was so full of promise seems to have lost is luster a bit between reports of violence  and illness that are impacting many.

I am fortunate to work from an office that overlooks a protected wooded ravine, There is a small creek that runs through it and every day the view is a bit different. Every time I begin to feel overwhelmed I take a couple minutes to look out the window and see nature at work. Yes, my view right now has bare trees, dormant grass and plants, and very little color other than various shades of brown. But even in this setting there is beauty to behold. From the deer that meander through looking for food or to take a quick drink to the squirrels that slip into hollowed out trees making their nests and storing up for food to last until spring.

Today, after several hectic days at work I caught movement out of the corner of my eye. Turning to inspect the ravine, I spied fox making its way to the creek and the shelter of fallen trees. In pausing a moment more, several deer wandered into view. It is sights such as these that make me remember that even on the gloomiest of days, there is beauty to behold. A single leaf that is hanging on a tree is a reminder that spring will bring new life and renewal. And with that hope for a better time, better world continues.