WHO INDEED?

My adventure loving friend, Sheila, contacted me recently and asked was I up to an adventure---that had to be on the third of June.  After checking my extensive social calendar~



I was on GO.  

Three and a half hours after departure, we found The Tallahatchie Bridge which Bobby Gentry made famous in 1967 with her "Ode to Billy Joe".



Mystery still swirls around this dark ballad concerning what did the singer and Billy Joe throw off the bridge and why did Billy Joe throw himself off the bridge?  Here we are 51 years later and we are chasing the mystery behind the song, only to drive home with no answers.


As I looked down at the high, murky, swirling water with a swift current carrying debris quickly down the river, I knew we would never know the answer to the mystery.  The song's writer, Bobbie Gentry, explains the point is not what was thrown off the bridge to cause Billy Joe to commit suicide and the narrator to toss flowers in the water a year later as she wandered along the river.  The point is the nonchalant dinner discussion about a young man taking his own life.  She called it "Unconscious cruelty".


In our long day's trek, Sheila and I spoke of many topics including the recent school shootings and what needed to be done to stop the loss of our precious children.  It did not really dawn upon me until I swirled the thoughts of the day around in my head of my own guilt of unconscious cruelty.  For you see, though I want to see something done to stop this great tragedy, all I am doing is talking about it in passing conversation.  NOT by any means intentionally being cruel, but by being passive about insisting something be done.  Sheila asked the question, "Who is going to go to the School Board meeting and ask the question about what is going to be done to protect our children?"  WHO INDEED?  WHO INDEED?

Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord
Psalms 127:3

12 comments

  1. It is a cruel world, Lulu. And without wishing to be philosophical about it, I think that human beings, (you and I included) are becoming immune to all the bad news stories we hear and read about. Wars, floods, famines, addictions, suicides and the rest. You don't mean to be cruel by talking passively about this or any other sad event. It's our human nature protecting us from being overwhelmed by events. That's why we talk passively, casually in a laissez-faire manner.

    God bless you.

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    1. We have become numb to all the horrible things happening in the world, Victor. I always appreciate your insight.
      Blessings, My Friend !

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  2. Indeed, Victor, its a cruel world. I totally agree, unfort. ---how to protect our children or anyone in society? I just don't know. I know taking guns away is not the answer, which is more of a hair triggered emotion, I really don't want to get into that statement and the historical aspect of it, just expressing my thought (because, lets be honest, people aren't ready to sit down and have a honest talk about it without upsetting one another). I agree with Victor, "You don't mean to be cruel by talking passively about this or any other sad event. It's our human nature protecting us from being overwhelmed by events."

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    1. We batted around many possible solutions, but agreed the ones wanting guns will still get them-no matter what the laws are. In thd meanwhile, innocent children are being murdered. We need to find something to deter this tragedy.
      Blessings, My Friend

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  3. The question should be "why would kids be so mean that they would take the life of others"? Is it bad parenting, no parenting, having technology take the place of parenting, organized sports, taking God out of school and sometimes church, giving our kids a sense of entitlement with no compassion for their peers.. what's the answer? Would more laws regulate behavior? God gave us His laws, I think as a society, we need to reread them.

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    1. Good point- thanks for contributing to the discussion.
      Blessings!

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  4. The dinner conversation is too casual for what they are talking about. I always found it sad. Didn't they make a movie about this song?

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    1. Yes, they did, Sandi, but I have not seen it. Bobbie Gentry says this very thing--entirely too casual about a lost life.
      Blessings!

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  5. You pose much food for thought here, Lulu. Danny and I have discussed this very issue - the safety of the kids and the teachers. I think there would be plenty of retired military/police officers who would gladly volunteer to be stationed at schools to protect the innocent. Just knowing there are armed security officials in a facility would go a long way in deterring would-be shooters.
    Blessings!

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  6. Cool idea, and a good post! Thanks, Loralu!

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    1. My friend, Sheila is the responsible party!
      Blessings, My Friend!

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Your comments keep my writing and often cause me to think. A written form of a hug or a pat on the back and an occasional slap into reality---I treasure them all!