Truly, a Sad night in the Valley of the Sun...

I was thinking on the way home tonight about writing about how lonely I felt. As I made my way home on this beautiful Arizona night, the window down, the smell of spring in the air and Mark Levin talking away on the radio, I just found myself feeling really lonely. I think more so because I was tired and had a rough couple of days. Not really rough, just demanding would probably be a better word. Between finding my mother on the kitchen floor this morning, where she had been for an hour after slipping out of her wheelchair and the events happening with my legal issues, I just was thinking about how sometimes I really miss coming home to someone special to me and being able to just share how I feel. But that all changed tonight after I got a phone call from Sawn. I found out that a friend of ours had lost a family member in a bar fight last night in Chandler. I had just gotten home when Sawn called me and told me that our friend Marcia, who was my counselor at the Chateau was on the news and was interviewed. Her son-in-law was shot along with 5 other people in a shooting at a bar. He died and the others were injured.

Marcia is a wonderful woman. She is very spiritual and has so much wisdom and chances are, her son-in-law was probably the same way. I have so much admiration for her and the time I got to know her, I really like her. Marcia is a beautiful person and woman and she helped me get through a really bad time in my life and I learned a lot from her. The gunman is still on the loose at this time, having sped off with a couple of other people after destroying some lives. I am hoping that they catch him soon and is brought to justice. A DUI? yes, it's serious, I am not minimizing it by any stretch of the imagination. But for someone to callously gun another person down for no other reason than out of anger and uncontrolled rage. From what I understand, Barnie, Marcia's son-in-law, went outside to intervene in a fight between 2 groups of people and ended up getting shot along with the other 4 people. The gunman then sped away leaving the scene and at this point, is still on the loose.

My problems are nothing compared to this. Sometimes when you think that your life is not going well, take a look around you and you will see that there are others who are hurting and suffering more than you. And again the saying comes back to you "there but for the Grace of God, go I." I wish Marcia the most heartfelt sympathy and condolences to her and her family. I pray that she will get through this okay as I am sure she will, with that quiet grace and strength that is Marcia. I pray that her family will get through this also. I also hope that the person responsible will realize the hurt and anguish he has caused and will come forward to answer for his actions. Just when you think that your life is not going well remember, "I complained about the holes in my shoes when I saw a man who had no feet."

Take care of each other and have patience, life isn't forever,,
Peace be upon you all this night,