“Perhaps our eyes need to be washed by our tears once in a while, so that we can see Life with a clearer view again.” ~Alex Tan

There was another shooting at a High School this morning in Chardon, Ohio. Five students were injured and the gunman is in custody.

"Chardon student Evan Erasmus told WEWS that a student

had tweeted that he was going to bring a gun to school,

but that no one took him seriously."
(Source)

Those sorts of threats need to _ALWAYS_ be taken seriously. Always. ALWAYS! Teens are sometimes making empty threats, and blowing off steam, but why take that chance? I'm not saying break down the kids door, or anything like that, but TALK to them. Find out what or who is upsetting them. Make them realize that their feelings are valid, but shooting the kids that have hurt them is not the way to go. It might "feel good" in the moment, but the repercussions of that choice just aren't worth it.

Teens seem to be more troubled now than when I was in school. I don't think their problems have gotten harder or worse, just that they don't know how to react to their own feelings and how to ask for help. I think that in a lot of cases, these kids don't feel they can trust their parents, or guidance counselor with the truth of what they are feeling.

Would you?

As a teenager, I didn't trust those in authority to let me say things that I needed to say without fear of my personal thoughts being repeated to my parents or the principal, which would then get me in trouble for my feelings.

I think kids need a safe place to vent without worry that what they say will be taken at face value and blown up. Perhaps the boys of Columbine, or the gunman today, just needed to say how angry or frustrated they are without worrying about being sent to a psychologist or suspended. I don't claim to know what pushed them to shooting, but I bet that they didn't get the help they needed or _wanted_.

I would bet money that these kids don't want to hear that they _shouldn't_ feel this way. Yes they should feel upset, angry, frustrated, etc. They are in _HIGH_SCHOOL_ - what they feel is valid, and it's how they react to it that makes the difference. Let's face it - High School sucks. You don't know who you are, your body is changing, you're being picked on, and made fun of, and even though your parents were in High School at some point, they have no idea what it's like for you, or how it is "these days". They don't know how to deal with what you're going through so they tell you that they "understand", but (in most cases) they don't. It's an awful time in your life, but it ends.

If any High School kids are reading here - it DOES get better, usually _after_ graduation, but it _does_get_better_. Let me say that again... IT DOES GET BETTER! Nobody understands how you feel, but why throw your life away to "get back" at those who have wronged you? Be the better person, and realize that they are asshole kids, and that they're just being asshole kids. You will grow up, you will move on, and YOU WILL BE AMAZING.

Please, please email me if you need to talk. I realize that right now I'm talking to nobody (I have 2 followers), and I'm just an anonymous person on the internet, but I hope that someday you will find me, and realize that I care, and that I'm here, and I'll listen. I've been there, I've been picked on, I've been made fun of, and I've been bitter, angry, and frustrated about it. I'm not saying "I understand" to shut you up - I'm saying I understand because _I_UNDERSTAND_! Yes, my situation was different than yours, but I understand how upsetting and frustrating it is to always be the butt of a joke, to always be the one called out and made fun of. I'm not you, but I know how you feel, because I've felt that way. I will not make snap judgements or tell on you, I will let you vent, and be here to listen.

Please - if you need someone to listen - PLEASE - email me. I will answer, I will be there to listen, and I will NOT tell on you (unless I fear for your safety).

loosing.my.muchness@gmail.com