Self-Defense

I have been sadly pondering the latest two killings of college students. This is very personal for me because I live in Auburn, Alabama and work part-time at the University. In fact, this is where I first heard of the killing of Lauren Burk. As part of the very close and religious Auburn community I am feel pain and see pain on the faces of people around and about town.

On a deeper level, I too have a college freshman girl, and to me this tragedy is one I hope never to face and is almost incomprehensible. My prayers and thoughts go out to the Burk family as they begin the long trek of living without their precious daughter. My aunt and uncle lost my cousin around this age, and I feel it is safe to say they have never gotten over it. My aunt, who is still living, goes on, but her son, Andy, is never far from her thoughts, voiced or otherwise. I know it is a life long cross she bears, so I feel so for the two families who lost their freshmen daughters this week. They join so many others in this sad fellowship.

So, we have been having alot of discussions in our family this week. Most all start with the freedom and abuse of guns in our society. Most end with ways to circumvent the avenues that one of propose to keep guns out of the hands of killers. We have talked about tighter licensing, banning, and even one great suggestion to license bullets. But, humans always can find a way around rules and regulations, even if they are meant to protect the greater good of all.

Another discussion we have had is about the vulnerabilities of our college campuses, and the need to tighten security. Auburn University is very secure, but being in a small Alabama town perhaps has given us false securities. Still, I remember a few years ago when we were so shocked by shooting in Elementary schools. I was a first-grade teacher then, and remember keeping the classroom doors locked and going to meetings to instruct us on new safety precautions. I suspect college campuses are and will go through changes too.

But, reflecting on it all, their are two main solutions to un-merited danger. The first, in my opinion is self defense. I'm not talking about the karate type self defense. I feel we need to defend ourselves much as we do in our driving. The safest driver is a denfensive driver. As we go about our tasks in our days, we need to be alert and aware that the unexpected can in fact happen. I know a minister friend of my husband and I's certainly didn't expect to get kidnapped in the shopping mall parking lot! Thank God he was rescued. We need to maintain a clear headed alertness, which is sometimes hard when we have other things on our minds. Especially if you are absent minded or "creative" as I am. Police pull people over and issue "warnings" when people are not "paying attention" to speed rules (So I have heard!)

My kids always told me I was "paranoid" when I would tell them about sad events that happened in the news, and reminded them of possible dangers when going to various events and activities. And perhaps I was. But I do have a comfort now of knowing that at least with my daughter, and hopefully the other two boys too, she has an "alert" imprinted upon her consciousness. It's similar to that feeling you develop as a woman when you first start carrying your purse all the time. You develop over time a "feeling" when you walk off...and you feel for your purse strap or handles. It becomes a habit, that keeps you from leaving your purse around.

So to recap this long blog, the first thing you can do is keep a clear mind and ready to be on defense. The Second thing you can do is actually sort of Zen, if I understand it. It's something you CAN'T do. Human life is ultimately, NOT under our control. We can not control natural events, or even deviant human events. We have to actively realize that we can't control all events.

But, to quote a very fine evangelist and theologian, E. Stanley Jones, there is "Victory in Surrender." When you find the blueprint for your life in the deep understanding that God is ...and is beyond our human perception other than as revealed in Jesus Christ...you accept that God is Good, God is Love, even when we can't understand it in our actual life experiences. Many use the phrase "Let Go and Let God" to try to express simply this Surrender to God's relationship to our world.

Finally, I remember a story my sister recently told me about a nun that works with death row criminals, and her response to the negative reactions she received to her mercy she shared with the criminals. (I think this was a movie she saw). The last scene showed the nun coming into the chapel to light a candle and pray for direction about her ministry. There she sees bowed in prayer the father of one of the victims of the criminals who had also lit a candle. Both nun and victimized join on the level of prayer. I think only in prayer and deep communion with God that we can receive the ultimate comfort and safety we seek.
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