Senseless Violence.

I grew up in a small town that I always found as a kid and teenager, boring as hell. I couldn't wait to get out because there was "nothing to do"; "no fun"; "no future" and "too small".

As I grew older and moved away, from two hours away to 12 hours away, I came to miss this place of peace and safety. I always dreamed of moving back because I thought of it as a wonderful place to live and have a family. It was a place that I would not have to worry about myself or those I loved. A place where you could keep your doors unlocked and still sleep peacefully at night. I love this place; and if it wasn't for the nature of Mr. Bean's and my profession, would be a place I would move back to in a heartbeat.

This place's peace and tranquility was shattered yesterday because of the hate of one person. I lived in Roanoke, Va. only approximately 30-40 minutes east of Va. Tech.

And Blacksburg was even smaller - a cute, quiet and lovely college town. Another place to raise your family and not worry about the dangers of the outside world until April 16, 2007.

Why did this have to happen? Why would someone, who intended to kill themselves, feel the need to take the lives of those who did nothing to him other than be in the wrong place at the wrong time? I am not an advocate of suicide. In fact, I am fully opposed to it and find those who do it to be weak and selfish who do not care for those who love them who will be tragically effected by the suicide. But, in this instance, if suicide was this man's endgame anyway, why couldn't he have just taken himself out without the needless death of all of the innocent victims?

Blacksburg and Roanoke have just matured as a result of yesterday. And it makes me so very sad to see their innocence gone.

My thoughts are to all of those effected by this senseless tragedy.