2 years ago today, I remember driving back to work from the Christiansburg Recreation Center and seeing multiple Sheriff's office vehicles speeding towards Blacksburg, Home of Virginia Tech. I had no idea what I was about to hear and see on the television once I stepped foot into my office.....there had been a tragic shooting on campus. I can't even describe to you the atmosphere...it was pure sadness, pure disbelief, pure anger, pure fear.
While this event had occurred just miles from my backyard, it was brought even closer when I found out that one of my very good cubicle buddy's husband was in that building. Fortunately, he and some others barricaded themselves in a small office just a couple of doors down from those classrooms. She was so scared...and I was so scared for her.
Even though we have moved over a thousand of miles away from Blacksburg/Virginia Tech, we have not forgotten what happened 2 years ago....the Hokies are forever in our hearts.
Days after this tragic event, a song was created by The Season, "Forever Changed". I was able to find a memorial tribute using the song....
We are Virginia Tech.
We are sad today, and we will be sad for quite a while. We are not moving on, we are embracing our mourning.
We are Virginia Tech.
We are strong enough to stand tall tearlessly, we are brave enough to bend to cry, and we are sad enough to know that we must laugh again.
We are Virginia Tech.
We do not understand this tragedy. We know we did nothing to deserve it, but neither does a child in Africa dying of AIDS, neither do the invisible children walking the night away to avoid being captured by the rogue army, neither does the baby elephant watching his community being devastated for ivory, neither does the Mexican child looking for fresh water, neither does the Appalachian infant killed in the middle of the night in his crib in the home his father built with his own hands being run over by a boulder because the land was destabilized. No one deserves a tragedy.
We are Virginia Tech.
The Hokie Nation embraces our own and reaches out with open heart and hands to those who offer their hearts and minds. We are strong, and brave, and innocent, and unafraid. We are better than we think and not quite what we want to be. We are alive to the imaginations and the possibilities. We will continue to invent the future through our blood and tears and through all our sadness.
We are the Hokies.
We will prevail.
We will prevail.
We will prevail.
We are Virginia Tech.
-- Nikki Giovanni
We are sad today, and we will be sad for quite a while. We are not moving on, we are embracing our mourning.
We are Virginia Tech.
We are strong enough to stand tall tearlessly, we are brave enough to bend to cry, and we are sad enough to know that we must laugh again.
We are Virginia Tech.
We do not understand this tragedy. We know we did nothing to deserve it, but neither does a child in Africa dying of AIDS, neither do the invisible children walking the night away to avoid being captured by the rogue army, neither does the baby elephant watching his community being devastated for ivory, neither does the Mexican child looking for fresh water, neither does the Appalachian infant killed in the middle of the night in his crib in the home his father built with his own hands being run over by a boulder because the land was destabilized. No one deserves a tragedy.
We are Virginia Tech.
The Hokie Nation embraces our own and reaches out with open heart and hands to those who offer their hearts and minds. We are strong, and brave, and innocent, and unafraid. We are better than we think and not quite what we want to be. We are alive to the imaginations and the possibilities. We will continue to invent the future through our blood and tears and through all our sadness.
We are the Hokies.
We will prevail.
We will prevail.
We will prevail.
We are Virginia Tech.
-- Nikki Giovanni
Randy and Josiah on Orange & Marroon Effect DayPlease keep the town of Blacksburg, VA and the entire Hokie Nation in your thoughts and prayers today.
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5 comments:
Wow - I remember that day 2 years ago. I was pregnant and we were in Tulsa at that time. It was awful. My thoughts and prayers are with the families that have to go through this awful day.
I remember that day watching the events unfold on tv. So sad. What a great poem that is.
Isn't it interesting how we all remember that day so vividly? I remember going to Walmart watching police vehicles driving into Blacksburg thinking that the wind caused damage somewhere. I even remember the Selena song "Dreaming of You" playing on the radio at Walmart because I still had it running through my head when I saw the press conference that announced that there were at least 20 dead. What a day.
Hugs to you!
I can't believe it's been two years. What a terrible day. Thanks for posting this.
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