Community Tragedy

I feel like I want to write tonight, but I'm not sure how to write or even what I am feeling. I live in a community of people where neighbors are not just houses beside you. Neighbors are people who know who you are, watch your home for oddities, and talk to you regularly. There are the few busy bodies that you avoid because you know that they know everything about everyone. I'm even on the village Methodist church mailing list which insures that I know all of the "prayer requests" each week. What happened this week has successfully shaken every one up.

Simply, a woman, who I did not personally know, was reported missing. She and her husband live less than a half mile from our house. It's a house that I drive past every day. The story is all over our local news. Last night the husband committed suicide and foul play is suspected.

Probably a typical murder-suicide. It happens all the time, right? But not right down the street in a close knit community like mine. What is it about this that has kept it on my mind all day long? I don't know these people. There is no reason for it to bother me so much.

Maybe it bothers me because:

•  just like that a household has disappeared. (the couple has no children)
• people can have such intense issues and can successfully hide them
• the woman is still missing
• I let my children play outside with my watchful eye on them from the kitchen, but is that enough?
• I wonder if I should trust the neighbors I do know
• I really love the quiet, safe community that I live in, but is it safe enough?

I'll keep thinking. I feel like I need to process something, but I'm not sure exactly what the something is. Tomorrow I'm going to crank up the Jesus Culture music. HE is the Lord of our household and no matter what tragedy comes along we will live our life in a way that glorifies Him.