I’ve been getting up at 7:30AM in order to make it to training class on time…so this Saturday morning, I awoke and I thought to myself, “I think I’ll sleep in this morning”.

I looked at the clock to see how many extra hours I would be sleeping.

It was already 11:30AM.

I smiled and got out of bed!

The people in Tucson lined the streets today to say goodbye to Christina…

The excerpt below is from By GILLIAN FLACCUS, Associated Press and Associated Press writer Amanda Myers in Tucson contributed to the full report.

Before the service, Christina’s family and closest friends gathered under the enormous American flag recovered from Ground Zero and paused for a moment of silence, holding hands and crying. White-gloved state troopers escorted family and dignitaries into the church as a choir sang hymns.

“She would want to say to us today, ‘Enjoy life,’” said Bishop Gerald Kicanas, who presided over the funeral.

I loved what President Obama said about Christina this evening…and I do hope she’s playing in a puddle somewhere.

That said, I couldn’t figure out what the connection was, how come this tragic outcome affected me so, but I think it is partially because she reminds me of the little girl who crosses my mind every day.

That little girl will be 9 this year…she was born in 2002.   She, like Christina, also loves to dance, and that’s about all I know of her these days.  Except that she sings…here are the words to a song she sang recently

I watched this little 9 year old’s parents speak about their daughter who was killed on Saturday.

I was brought to tears at the loss of such a precious child, all the promise, all the innocence.   The photo displayed on the TV showed a beautiful spirit, a beautiful little girl.

These kinds of horrors don’t make a lot of sense…these random acts of violence.

I want to believe that there IS some purpose, some reason…

God bless all of the people touched directly by the shooter, and I guess, bless the shooter.   To do something like he did, he must need blessings.

The reporter said that the shooter seemed pleased with himself.  To hate him, to wish him the same evil he caused, what benefit would that bring?  Two negative actions/beliefs/energies, just more negativity…perhaps to wish a blessing upon such evil will, in some manner, cancel the evil?

God bless the shooter’s parents.

They were advertised a couple of weeks back, get a FREE Fire-less Fireplace with the purchase of the Amish Mantel that goes with it…not sure of the brand, and, really don’t NEED one these gadgets, the house where I reside has adequate central heat and air conditioning.  But, darned if the press didn’t make it seem like every home in America should have one of these new-dangled heaters!

So, imagine my delight, when I arrived back at the house this afternoon, to find a nice big box sitting in front of the door!!   The outside of the box said that the wished for Fire-less Fireplace and Amish Mantel was nestled inside.

Of course, I knew immediately that the box wasn’t going to be opened, and enjoyed…it was destined to be picked up by Fedex and returned to the company from whence it had been shipped.

During the week of Christmas, a package arrived which turned out to be Hits of the 50’s and 60’s…I took that box to be a Christmas gift and delivered it as such.   Finding the fireplace today, and within an hour also finding a PO Box key in the mail box, well, I knew it was time to call the family.  Another package, this time containing 70’s Pop music was found in the over-sized mail box…it, too, will be shipped back.

How many of us haven’t watched the television and seen all of the wonderful gadgets, music packages, and other miscellaneous “have to have” items being advertised??   How wonderful it must be to pick up the phone and order those things which peak our interest, AND, more importantly to have the funds to be able to do so…

I wondered HOW MANY packages are delivered to The Villages, only to be returned once it is discovered that the person ordering the items may not even remember picking up the phone…

When we are children, we want everything we see advertised, well, most everything that appeals to a child.   As we age, we still want things, but we also weigh the expense, the necessity, the space available to store the desired item.  And then, we get to that stage where, heck, I see it, I like it, I buy it.