I debated whether to share this, but I feel compelled to highlight the goodness that appeared during the campus shooting at Old Dominion University last week. In the midst of tragedy, I’ve been inspired by the very real and tangible ways people cared for each other both during the crisis and in the days that followed.
Over the past few days, I’ve spent a lot of time listening to my student share what happened. As I’ve processed it, I’ve tried to focus on the reasons we still have to be thankful.
One of my favorite quotes from Mr. Rogers has been on my mind. (He gave the commencement speech at Old Dominion University in 2000.)
“When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, ‘Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.’”
And there were helpers everywhere.
I’m thankful for:
The Constant Hall professor who held the outer door and yelled for exiting students to run.
The staff member who threw keys to a student and pointed to a closet where classmates were hiding.
The police officer standing on the fourth floor of the stadium garage whose presence reassured students hiding in their cars.
The campus minister who texted my student to check in.
The campus police who ran into the building.
The students who bravely stopped the shooter and protected their fellow classmates.
Thank you to everyone who chose to help while the extent of the danger was still unclear. We may never know your names, but we are incredibly grateful for your courage.
We are also praying for the family of Lt. Col. Brandon Shah, the injured students, their families, and the entire ODU campus community.
In the days since, our family has also experienced kindness in small but meaningful ways. One sweet neighbor showed up on our porch with a gift of sunshine. That simple gesture meant so much to us while our minds were still trying to process all the “what-ifs.”
I’m part of a Facebook group for parents of Old Dominion University students, and one post in particular captured the spirit of care that so many people were showing:
“Good evening, everyone! We are local parents of a master’s student at ODU… This post is to ask if anybody who is out of town needs anything delivered to their kiddo or if there is anything we can do from a local perspective. Happy to help in any way. Let me know if your student just needs their favorite cookies, a hug, to grab coffee with a mom (my treat), or anything—I’d love to help.” ~Elizabeth M.
In difficult moments, care often shows up in the simplest ways be it a text, cookies, prayers, flowers on a porch, or someone willing to sit with a student far from home.
And once again, we are reminded that there are always helpers.
Warmly,
Adina
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