A Mournful Song

This is a Mourning Dove so named because of the mournful cooing sound they make. I have many that live in the trees of my woods and are frequent visitors to my back yard. I often call them my little flock of chickens, as they scratch and eat the seeds on the ground around the feeder. I love the fawn color and  the graceful shape of their bodies. For some reason they remind me of deer.  Strange, I know, I guess it's the coloring and their common gentle grace.

I can empathize with their sad songs also. There has been something in me of late that mourns for a way of life that is slipping away from us here in this country. It's been on my heart and I don't know if I can express it or not. I feel the need to try.

Today in Colorado another American Tragedy has happened. I find it a bit coincidental that just as I was finishing a book called Rachel's Tears -the story of the Columbine School Shooting- this has happened again. When will it end? A question I'm sure many caring people are asking today. I don't think we'll find the answer either.

What I mourn for today, is the great loss of life that has been needlessly brought about by the violence of  men.  I've been lamenting secretly, silently and without a clear understanding of just exactly what is was, for some time now. An unexplained sadness in my heart. I wonder if it isn't maybe the slipping away of a society that, once upon a time, would have been unable to fathom that such a thing could take place. I am not that old, but I have watched that slide. I have seen the change. I believe it to be the ongoing corruption of what is right and what is wrong.

I don't have the answers and apparently no one else does either.  We have seen this violence before and everyone begins to debate the issues that could be causing it. Yet, nothing changes, time goes by and it happens again. We don't want to pay the price it would cost us to bring about a real difference. Whether it is the constant violence pumped out by Hollywood, violent video games, or just the general crumbling of a society with more money than heart and compassion....I don't have a definitive answer.

You see just a hint of what I believe coming out don't you? I won't delve any deeper. It's not going to change anything. The only thing that will, is if individuals change. To be the change you want to see. That is so cliche I know, but there is just so much truth packed into it. So simple, so true. I know that not everyone lives allowing violence to become a callous part of their life. I know of many people who have chosen the higher road.
People who have chosen to simply pull back a bit from the masses and pounding rush of society and try to live in peace. A simpler way of life. I applaud them. I have a strong feeling it will not be these people who commit the next terrible atrocity.

Tim and I were talking just the other day about the sadness of where we see things going. He made a statement something like this."The Bible tells us these things would happen, we knew it was coming." I felt tears threaten and sadly responded  "Yes I know, but I just never thought I'd have to watch it."

I hate to end on such a 'mournful' note. But there are people who are broken hearted today. A lost child, a lost mother....Someone's life will never again be the same. I lift them up and say a prayer for them. Won't you too? Maybe if we allowed a mournful song into our lives over things like this, even if it is not directly related to us.....maybe some feeling would come back to this thing we call "our way of life."

^~" A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another.  By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.” ~ Jesus