Healers Reflect on Va Tech Tragedy

By Michele M. Melendez and Katherine Reynolds Lewis
c.2007 Newhouse News Service

How do you make sense of the senseless?

The violence and horror that punished the campus of Virginia Tech, leaving 33 dead, is incomprehensible. Yet we yearn for some grasp of our own reactions, if not even greater understanding. Many of us will turn to trusted counselors — therapists, spiritual leaders and others we admire. Here, gathered in the tragedy's aftermath, is guidance from some of those healers.

"For the people directly hit by a tragedy like this, this is not a good time for philosophical discussions. It's time for grieving, not for explaining. It's time just to try to survive the tragedy. Reflection comes later.

"For those of us who are not directly hit, it is a chance to think together, to pray. ...

"Take a little time to feel the sadness in a meditative or prayerful way. Let that feeling flow, but in the flow of that compassion, then consider what difference I can make in alleviating suffering.

"That's a beautiful and a healing response. There's no need to feel the least bit of helplessness. There are circumstances where we're overwhelmed, but there is some freedom with which we can respond. ...

"In the Biblical tradition, we're called to respond with love, not with fear. We're called to respond with compassion and not with terror. We're called to respond with sharing the suffering. That is also a passion that moves us into action.''

— Catherine Keller, professor of theology at Drew University in Madison, N.J.

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"It's a good thing to try to get a measure of control back. The most important thing is to have the experience of being heard and creating communities for people to share the uncertainty. People who are going to isolate themselves are going to have the hardest time. ...

"Those who are not directly touched by it can help by sending notes of encouragement, putting flowers on sites. Anything that helps us communicate that we care about what happened and we care about the people, and we want to make it right.''

— The Rev. Dennis Kenny, director of pastoral care at the Cleveland Clinic in Ohio

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