SCENES OF MOTHERS

Two scenarios come to mind this week.

1) As I sat in church and watched two children being baptized I saw their small arms curved around their mother's arm in total trust and confidence. The tender innocence that Mother would be there-she would love them no matter what-she would catch them if they fell-she would sacrifice all for her child. All this seen in the small pink curve of a tiny arm caressing its mother and knowing she would always love them, a given.

2) Mothers and Fathers, tears running down their faces as they tried to assimilate the horror dropped on their children as they attended class -Virginia Tech. By a crazy man who didn't like the "privileged". Their promise of protection shattered in the crack of a Magnum 44 because they just happened to be where they were when the madness exploded. Their dreams of the small arm curved around them gone forever.

As a Mother and a human being, I reflect the pain and unfathomable grief these parents must feel that they could not protect their precious children.

My response this week to the Lansing State Journal on the question of how I feel about the Virginia massacre (there is no other word for what happened) is:

"Virginia Tech-our hearts are heavy. Why do the depressed and disenfranchised feel they have to take someone with them when they go? Legitimate grievances or easy access to guns? Have you made your point? Your fifteen minutes of fame? Or have you made martyrs out of the people you stole. They will be remembered, regardless of their potential contributions to society. You, however, will be remembered as that crazy man who thought he was god."

BUNNY SCENES

This thought keeps rolling around in my head. The upcoming Easter week and secular "bunnies" hopping around town lately remind me of a remark my Mother made the other day. We were immersed with the activities related to my Uncle's recent passing and celebrating my sister Kathleen's birthday. (Ed. note-These just happened at the same time, nothing to do with each other) Well, except,

aren't the events of life related? Birth, marriage, ceremonies, celebrations, funerals.... anyway we use these occasions to look back and reminisce and in this case, we were looking at old pictures.

A couple of interesting facts emerged. One, my daughter and her cousins did not believe my father was ever young and handsome instead of just being "Panga" of the crazy clothes and hilarious pronouncements. Two, my Mother remarked that my youngest sister Lori wanted to be like her big sister Marcia of the long lustrous hair desperately captured in a cascading pony tail. M's hair was thick and black and curlier than any beautician could ever hope to achieve. The younger sibling was hardly more than a baby with a smaller, shorter amount of hair. To satisfy the younger daughter, Mother would put her hair into what she called a "Bunny Puff". Just enough to pull it through the pony tail and happily emulate her big sister. I don't know why that struck me at the moment, I just couldn't get the picture of the little puff out of my mind.

Again I apologize to my daughter. I was never very good at those girl things. Oh well.

SCENIC OPINIONS

Although we of the State Journal Opinion panel have answered 3 weeks of questions, this week is the first one of mine that appeared in the hard copy of the paper rather than online. Even allowed pictures to be taken. Our opinions will show up under lsj.com.online under opinions. Interesting group of people from many backgrounds and interests including a freelance writer, retired folks, a newly minted MSU grad an attorney and the rest of the diverse cast of characters including yours truly.

"As long as I don't say anything too detrimental about our work" was the only caution that I was given. You know me, no controversy here.