Cappy's Corner

I don't know that taking sides on an issue like this is going to change anything. All it does is cloud the real issue. Our children, friends, family and people are at risk everyday with our generations outlook on life. So many things can contribute to all this violence, all we can do is try to figure out how this all began! We should be looking for a real solutions.

When I was growing up, pretty much everyone I knew had a gun of some type in their home. In my home I never saw the thing, but I was told what could happen if I got near it. I had a very close knit family and Mom and Dad were definitely in our business. We had conversations everyday, come rain or shine, it was held at the dinner table. I know some of you out there must remember that. The worse things I would try to get away with was skipping school, that ended up with my mother getting permission from the school to sit in all my classes with me. I got the message. We were a community, that watched everyone's kids, I didn't get away with anything, because my mother already knew what I did before I got home. The thing was, there was no cell phones, no internet, just those crazy dial phones or one of the neighbors taking a walk to your parents house with the report. We did try to sneak around but we always knew there was a chance of getting caught, so we never tried anything too stupid, because the punishment would be far worse than the crime. I learned quickly that if my parents asked if I did something wrong, and I tried to lie, they never asked a question that they didn't already know the answer to. So, I would not only get in trouble for what I did, but added a lie to it. That was always our biggest rule, never lie, you will get caught.

We had respect for our parents and any adult, we never talked with an attitude to anyone just to be a smart ass. We learned self-respect, what we did in public was a direct reflection on our family and our self. The funny part is back when I was growing up there wasn't cameras looking to capture these moments, there was real people who cared about you. Your community, your neighbors and even if your friends thought you were crossing a line they would tell someone. Not because they were a rat, but because they cared about you.

It seems like I am getting off track, but what I am hoping for is to see families and communities come back together. Not after a tragedy happens but before one does. Talk with your neighbors, you live with these people, they are part of your life. Look out for them too, even if some of them are not the best neighbors. We all deserve to live in a safe happy world. Communication is not that hard, not with texting or some other social media outlet, but face to face. Smile at someone who waits on you, wave to people and smile, be part of the world in a positive way.

I can't begin to know what kind of pain survivors are feeling and their anger. I know they have to talk to heal and we have to be there for each other. There is no one who hasn't felt the loss of someone whom they loved dearly, I have lost and the comfort I feel is when my family came together and we supported each other and we talked and talked. I have never felt alone in this world. What could have been so tragic turned into a family coming together for each other.

All this rambling seems so corny, but I really love my family and friends. I remember one thing that my parents said to me the entire time I was growing up which I remember with such clarity. "The only thing I want for you, is for you to be happy". It is not as easy as you think, but well worth the effort.