What does a father say?

I fly the American Flag on the front of my house. No matter what time or day, if you drive down Regents Road in Gahanna Ohio and pass my address, you will see the stars and stripes displayed prominently just outside my front door. When Tiffany and I first moved into the house, this was one of the first things we put in place. We wanted to set an example for the boys so they will grow up to fly the flag at their homes. And we wanted anyone who drove by to understand that there are Americans who live here. Not Republicans nor Democrats, but Americans.

This morning, on my way to the office, I saw 3 more American Flags displayed outside of some of my neighbor's homes. And as I saw them, I had mixed emotions about why they were there. I am proud to see them display their patriotism as we do everyday. But sad for the reason they put them out.

Yesterday, in my Father's hometown of Boston, The United States saw another terrorist attack on our own soil. Another act of cowardice by a person or person's who are consumed with evil. For a moment the world has turned silent and still again as we try to make sense of an madman's motives.

 I saw the posts on facebook, everything from "The politicians will make this about gun control" to "This was all a set up and there are facebook pages to prove it" to "this world needs Jesus" and finally "the end is near". I heard our President talk about not rushing to judgement and listened as every news agency in the world jumped on any minute detail, hoping to break the next development 3 second before the next network. As I absorbed it all, I realized there is some truth and some fallacy in all of it, except maybe the set-up crowd. 

I am sure this will turn into a gun control debate, although a gun was never used here. Pretty much par for the course for the illogical thoughts and ideas that come out of Washington today. This world does need Jesus, as we are going to hell in a hand basket. But I think while the victims are fighting for their lives, praying might be a better path than preaching. The President was right to not look for a call to judgement, as the last thing we need are hate crimes carried out by uniformed people, acting on assumption and emotion. And the networks, wow we can get news now the instant it happens and they make sure that no stone is left unturned. 

After having about all I could take and fielding questions from my boys as to why this happened, I turned in for the night. I laid in bed, thinking about where the answers lie, and what answers an everyday Dad like me can provide my children when events like this, and Sandy hook, and 9/11, Columbine, and Oklahoma City happen. And while I am still not sure what I will say to them will be enough, I think it will go something like this.

There is nothing you can do to prevent acts of unspeakable horror from happening. The truth is that there are evil people in the world. From Timothy McVeigh to Osama Bin Laden to Ted Bundy and Charles Manson and the Unibomber. Those types of people exist and will find a way to carry out these terrible acts no matter how diligent we think we are being as a nation or world community. But there is also a lot of good in the world. As a matter of fact, I have to believe that the good overwhelmingly outnumbers the bad. People everyday commit random acts of kindness that get little to no news coverage. From giving the hungry a meal to a man running into a fire to save complete strangers, from communities rising up for those in need to those who stop for funeral processions and hurt animals on the side of the road, thousands upon thousands of life's beautiful moments occur everyday with no fanfare at all. So look for the good in life, and in the world.  It's  down the street, in our neighborhood, in our town, and in a million small towns just like ours. Life's beautiful moments occur all around you. You just won't see them on CNN.

I hope it's enough. I pray everyday I am teaching my sons how to appreciate life and grow up to be men of honor and integrity. Answering a question about why they cannot have dessert before their homework is done is easy. Questions of good and evil, not so much.

Been married 45 days today. Saddened by the events in Boston, but still good to be me.

Have a great Tuesday everyone!