Breathless
Sometimes, fleetingly, in the space between moments, I miss O____. Life was so simple then. Go to school, learn, go home, study. Repeat. If my brain needed space there was plenty around, I just would drive on some old country road outside of the city until I felt calm. The stars were visible. The air was fresh, crisp like dew on grass. I would find the horses, and breathe. Just breathe.
Nowadays I hold my breath. I hold it when I'm doing surgery, or when I'm riding my horse, or sometimes when I'm wondering what the future may hold. I hold it when I'm about to give an owner bad news.
I couldn't even imagine having to give a person bad news about a human member of their family. Especially if it was a child. Especially if that child died a senseless, unnecessary death.
Columbine was spoken about and analyzed for years. Now these terrible things are so routine they fade from our consciousness within weeks. After the last terrible thing happened (I cannot even bear to combine the words school and shooting - because they are two words that should never ever be juxtaposed), for the first time I wondered if I should prepare to homeschool my child. To keep her safe. When did schools become unsafe? My husband said bad things can happen anywhere. At a mall, the theater, anywhere. And he is right. But... maybe I would be there too. To shield her with my body. I would do anything to keep her safe.
These terrible things MUST stop. Please write to your representatives. Do not vote those below back into office.
I keep holding my breath.
Representatives paid by the gun lobby.
Source: https://www.politico.com/interactives/2017/gun-lobbying-spending-in-america-congress/
Nowadays I hold my breath. I hold it when I'm doing surgery, or when I'm riding my horse, or sometimes when I'm wondering what the future may hold. I hold it when I'm about to give an owner bad news.
I couldn't even imagine having to give a person bad news about a human member of their family. Especially if it was a child. Especially if that child died a senseless, unnecessary death.
Columbine was spoken about and analyzed for years. Now these terrible things are so routine they fade from our consciousness within weeks. After the last terrible thing happened (I cannot even bear to combine the words school and shooting - because they are two words that should never ever be juxtaposed), for the first time I wondered if I should prepare to homeschool my child. To keep her safe. When did schools become unsafe? My husband said bad things can happen anywhere. At a mall, the theater, anywhere. And he is right. But... maybe I would be there too. To shield her with my body. I would do anything to keep her safe.
These terrible things MUST stop. Please write to your representatives. Do not vote those below back into office.
I keep holding my breath.
Representatives paid by the gun lobby.
Source: https://www.politico.com/interactives/2017/gun-lobbying-spending-in-america-congress/
| Name | Amount | Party | District | Years in office |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paul Ryan | $336,597 | Republican | Wisconsin, District 1 | 18 |
| John Boehner | $231,265 | Republican | Ohio, District 8 | 24 |
| Don Young | $195,272 | Republican | Alaska, At-Large District | 44 |
| John Thune | $181,215 | Republican | South Dakota, At-large District | 18 |
| Pat Toomey | $167,051 | Republican | Pennsylvania, District 15 | 12 |
| Ken Calvert | $144,466 | Republican | California, District 42 | 24 |
| Roy Blunt | $143,543 | Republican | Missouri, District 7 | 20 |
| Denny Rehberg | $138,959 | Republican | Montana, At-large District | 12 |
| Steve Pearce | $129,250 | Republican | New Mexico, District 2 | 6 |
| Saxby Chambliss | $128,950 | Republican | Georgia, District 8 | 12 |
| George Allen | $127,556 | Republican | Virginia, District 7 | 8 |
| Richard Burr | $124,550 | Republican | North Carolina, District 5 | 22 |
| Richard Pombo | $122,694 | Republican | California, District 11 | 14 |
| Pete Sessions | $121,776 | Republican | Texas, District 32 | 14 |
| Jim Inhofe | $121,100 | Republican | Oklahoma, District 1 | 31 |
| John Kline | $119,887 | Republican | Minnesota, District 2 | 14 |
| Rick Santorum | $115,942 | Republican | Pennsylvania, District 18 | 16 |
| John Doolittle | $111,193 | Republican | California, District 4 | 16 |
| Ed Royce | $111,120 | Republican | California, District 39 | 24 |
| Dean Heller | $108,515 | Republican | District 2 | 4 |
| Ron Paul | $108,453 | Republican | Texas, 14 and 22 | 12 |
| Michele Bachmann | $108,218 | Republican | Minnesota, District 6 | 4 |
| Rob Portman | $107,727 | Republican | Ohio, District 2 | 20 |
| Bob Goodlatte | $104,900 | Republican | Virginia, District 6 | 24 |
| Martha McSally | $104,445 | Republican | Arizona, District 2 | 2 |
| Mike Coffman | $101,693 | Republican | Colorado, District 6 | 8 |
| Bob Barr | $101,473 | Republican | Georgia, District 7 | 8 |
| Collin Peterson | $98,500 | Democrat | Minnesota, District 7 | 26 |
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