guns are to kill

My kids came in after lunch yesterday, rumpled and sweaty as always, and one of them sweetly asked if I wanted to play "I Spy" with him, so we sat together and looked through the book for minuscule buttons, tees, hearts, fire hydrants. I don't get to do that all the time, much as I'd like to. Not to go all Robert Munsch, but the simplicity of the moment both lifted me and brought me down. Among other things, I was buying time, trying to decide whether I should talk to them about the news report that put me off my lunch. Talked with a friend, who helped. In the end, I decided against talking up the act itself, or the death toll, and asked them a pretty open-ended question:

Q: "Why do you think kindness is important?"

The answers were good. Some were typical: "It makes you a good citizen"; "You can make others happy." But one I loved: "If there was no careness, the whole world would be on fire."

Beyond the cuteness of that statement, there's so much truth.

Ken Momochi asked why I didn't want to talk to them at first; I said I didn't want to give them one more thing to be scared of. Schools are supposed to be safe, and adults are supposed to be good, so schools for adults are supposed to be good and safe. So many people are grieving the loss of loved ones, and so many more are grieving the loss of a feeling of safety. People are opening fire in shopping malls, gas stations, restaurants, schools. After a recent shooting incident in McCully I really didn't want to sit next to the window during my next dinner at Golden Duck, which would be a ludicrous statement in any other era, and by era I'm not talking centuries.

I believe in the Constitution; I love the Constitution. 1) The Constitution protects Americans' rights to bear arms. Good, great, excellent. 2) The Constitution also protects innocent citizens' rights not to be killed by someone wielding a gun. 3) Guns are designed to kill people (people may kill people, but they do it with guns). I'm just stating facts, here.

They decided that people should shoot less and talk more. Have kindness. It is important. BECAUSE. Just because. I may never be able to drill in math skills enough to pass a test, but if they leave me steadfastly believing that problems are solved by talking and having "careness," then I'll be happy.

Or at least not as sad.