I got nothin.
I am suffering the same despair that many of you feel when you turn on the television or pick up a newspaper these days. It appears that by most accounts, the world is going to hell in a handbasket. No witty comeback or heart-tugging words of wisdom readily come to my mind as a way of explaining why some individuals do the bizarre and hurtful things that they do.
One of my colleagues posed a great question: “With all the mental health information out there, with many of the services offered for free, how did the United States become the biggest open-air asylum on earth”? In the absence of an obvious mental illness or alteration by drugs, again, I got nothing. 
My blog this week will be confusing to some, I’m afraid. I debated whether to put these random shared thoughts to print, but based on what I am hearing from you and others, obviously I am not the only one having “one of those weeks”. If misery loves company, we are having one heck of a block party! Here is what you are telling me:
- I don’t understand how anyone can get out of bed one day, attend a prayer meeting in any church, and then proceed to brutally murder nine innocent victims in the hopes of starting a civil war.
- I don’t understand how an actual case of “racism” is tragically missed or blatantly ignored by family and friends, while with ease “non-racist incidents” (as they are now called) are incited by race baiters, white /black privileged promoters and politicized by media for personal/political gain.
- I don’t understand how two über dangerous, previously incarcerated-incarcerated prisoners are currently wandering free for almost a third week.
- I don’t understand how any person could make a conscious decision to have a relationship with an incarcerated prisoner that isn’t her husband then plan with said prisoner to murder her lawful husband, and THEN facilitate the jailbreak of two dangerous men into society!
- I don’t understand how people can leave a child in the care of a person who has not been fully, legally vetted and certified as a competent caregiver. For that matter, I don’t understand how people can decide to bring ANY child into this world without parenting information and reasonable emotional and financial support.
- I don’t understand how individuals can place their aging parents in a nursing home/assisted living facility believing that ALL their needs will be met if they pay enough money, ignoring the necessity to physically visit them as often as possible if only to monitor the care given.
- I don’t understand how people can leave a poor, defenseless animal in a hot car. I really don’t understand why people take their animals for a walk on hot asphalt, causing severe burns to their paws. I really, really don’t understand why people take animals into their homes and then refuse (or are unable) to care for them properly!
- I don’t understand how people can be tight-friends one moment and practically strangers in another.
- I don’t understand why people vote for any of the political candidates without doing personal research into their performance records, policy standards, integrity and character.
- I don’t understand…trust me, the list is endless.
For the record, I want you to know that I share many of the same thoughts you have, but I can’t possibly know exactly how you feel. The door swings both ways. For example, I felt mind-blowing rage when I heard about the senseless South Carolina killings! Did you see the insolent smirk on that perpetrator’s face? I wanted to smack it off, and I’ve never hit another human being in my life! How could anyone possibly wrap their brain around the brutal murders of innocent loved ones in a church just to achieve… what? What were his thought processes? I could hazard a guess, and I certainly have my opinions, but how could I possibly know? Was it racism? It sure as hell looks like it was. Is he insane or on drugs? I’ve got a few ideas on that, too.
What I actually did at the time, however, in the face of insufficient facts, I urged those who felt the same rage that I felt to use that negative energy to pray, pray really hard for the victims and families. Praying is my first and last resort for everything not easily handled with sarcasm and a hug. It works for me. Just making that suggestion out-loud or in print irritates others. Oh, well. 
Therapists and counselors are people, too. I was disgusted by the news of the prison employee in cahoots with the escapees. I sobbed when I saw the pictures of the horrible burns on the paws of puppies walking on scalding streets. I was furious to hear of a child abused by a daycare worker, and my feelings were genuinely hurt when a “once friend” questioned my intentions when our children were in the midst of a messy divorce. My head literally threatens to fly off my shoulders when someone suggests that Hillary is the only viable candidate for president! Superlative events and actions inspire similar heightened responses but cannot and must not evoke equal actions!
As mere humans, how could we possibly begin to understand all the recent carnage and utter stupidity in the news? I admit that I get totally perplexed when something happens that so appalls me or is unexpectedly worse than I could ever imagine. Many good Christian, intelligent and compassionate people rush to judgement before all the facts are known. Such superlatives in life happen, but they just seem to be happening more frequently lately. I don’t know why, but…
- I do understand how people of faith can rise above horrendous incidents to comfort each other, strive to learn the facts before expressing their opinions, banding together to facilitate change wherever, whenever they can, until the problems are resolved.
- I do understand how a person who has been “beaten down”, broken and rejected can ultimately find the strength to rise above failure through love and support to become a stronger, healthy person.
- I do understand how faith, integrity and character are the unbreakable glue that bonds humans together despite their differences in race, religion and creed.
I don’t always need to understand why things happen the way they do or why some people are destined to be idjits forever because they are unwilling to see the stupidity in their actions. What I don’t understand, couldn’t possibly understand, is then relegated to text-book examples for a faith in the Almighty’s ability to handle anything and everything that occurs, no matter how frequently! That qualifies for good common sense, doesn’t it?