My Thoughts for Virginia Tech

My thoughts are with the students and their families of Tech. My buddy went from high school went to Tech and there are a lot of local alumni in this area from Tech. Horrible.

My first thoughts always go to my kids when something like this happens. I worry that something could happen to them as they grow up and gain more independence from Susan and I. I don't stay up at night (yet) worrying, but I never want my kids to have to go through something like this.

I was out with E&J this morning and we saw a kid waiting for the bus with a VT sweatshirt on. I immediately began thinking about what I would have to say to them if they were old enough to realize what just happened. I don't know if I'll be up to the task of giving them perspective. I think I'll tell them that there are horrible things that happen in the world, that people ALL have evil and good inside them, constantly battling and that it is a CHOICE to go one way or the other. I don't ever want them to think that there is some outside force that causes them to do one thing or another. I want them to understand that you have to CHOOSE to be a positive impact on the world and people around you, every day. That you have to keep on living in spite of all of the bad things out in the world, to not be afraid. I think I'll tell them that there is no amount of planning that you can do to keep bad things from happening, you have to deal with them as they come. No matter how bad things are now, they will get better and a time will come when they are worse than they are now. I hope that I have the strength to help guide them through the things they choose to share with me and Susan as they grow and learn about what it means to be a full member of society under their own power.

I hope that I can be there for them. I hope that I am smart enough and strong enough to be a positive force in their lives.

Be strong Blacksburg. Our thoughts are with you.

Puts a silly thing like bike racing in some pretty stark perspective...