Staying Home

So, we aren’t going to church tonight. Why? Well, that’s a good question. This is why: Teen Killed, Brother Injured In Barre Crash. And this: Hubbardston teen dies in Barre crash. No, not one of my children. The brother in these stories, which are really the same story, is Griffin Murch. He is in Amena’s grade; they go to school together. They don’t have any of the same classes but Amena has known him since we moved here. His sister is Brittany. She was 17 and was in Daniel’s grade.

This afternoon someone posted about 10:30 on Facebook that there had been an accident on 62 between Hubbardston and Barre and that the road would be closed for 4 to 8 hours. I commented that it would be interesting to see if either Amena or Cedric commented on it when they got home. Not really. You just never know.

Amena commented but it was not because they had to take a different route home; the road was cleared up and there wasn’t any evidence that she noticed. But she knew what had happened. She pointed out that this is the third time something like this has happened. The third time that someone in Daniel’s grade was killed in an automobile accident who had a younger sibling in Amena’s grade. I hope there are no more.

I don’t know the Murch’s. I wouldn’t recognize any of them if I saw them. I know because I saw a picture of Griffin today and he is the only one I would have recognized and he’s changed enough in the past year or so that I just wouldn’t have. I also can’t say for certainty what or how they are feeling right now. But I can say that I know what it is like to have a child die and I know that it does not feel good.

I know that Amena and Cedric have been affected by this, not so much in the tone of voice but in the words and the expressions. I know that I have been affected by this. The emotions are very close to the surface right now. And so we are not going to church.

Cedric said, “Do you think the Murch’s will sue Quabbin for having school today.”

Two hours later, Amena said, “The Murch’s could sue the school for having school today.”

I’m not going to discuss the pros and cons of that. I’m not even going to talk about if I think it’s a good idea or not. I’m not going to say more than that if it was meant to be, it would have happened no matter what. It is interesting to see how we process the events that go on around us. These events shape us and help us to become who we are.

I wonder if Daniel knew Brittany very well here. I wonder if he was among those there to welcome her to the other side.

These pictures are from 2010 and I've used them before but that's okay. Daniel was making crepes for breakfast and Cedric was helping.

And this guy...

...and this one were just two happy, smiley boys.

And I didn't get Amena's face but I couldn't post pictures of the boys and not her.

 Hug your family and be grateful for the time you have them.