Sometimes it's just hard......

You know, sometimes, it's just hard to be happy.

On April 8th, Victoria (Tori) Stafford, an 8 year old girl from the town I live in, Woodstock, Ontario, was abducted while she was walking home from school. The high school which is situated right next to the school Tori was leaving, actually captured some video surveillance of her walking with someone. The police indicated that she had willingly left with the person, so she must have known her and so the case was being classified as a missing person's case instead of an abduction case. Tori's Dad and Mom, and many of the local communities planned searches, vigils and many other events to get the word out there that Tori was missing. Posters, flyers, Facebook sites, daily press conferences, vigils, even songs on the radio were all aimed at getting Tori home safely.

Earlier this week, the police made two arrests and charged the individuals with murder. That almost made me ill.

All through this horrible ordeal, there was much speculation on what had happened to Tori, but I think the majority of the people were holding strong to the hope that these horrible people who had taken her, would come to their senses and just let her go. Not once, did it even cross my mind that she would be murdered. The two people charged, one was an 18 year old girl and the other a 28 year old man. My mind is just reeling trying to wrap my head around how an 18 year old girl (who is still closer to a little girl than an adult) could think in any way possible that it is even remotely 'ok' to go to a public school and take an 8 year old girl from her family and friends. What is this world coming to? Can no one think for themselves any more? Where have our morals gone? What has happened to make it not 'ok' for your children to be able to walk home safely without having to worry about someone taking them or bullying them or worse, killing them? I'm not certain I want to live in a world like this. Don't take that the wrong way, I'm not thinking of doing anything drastic, I'm just very sad.

I feel very sad for Tori's family. I feel very sad for Tori's friends, and I feel very sad for the world in general. Why are people so angry? Why do people put their needs in front of the needs of others? Why are people always in such a rush to put someone down, but never in a rush to tell someone how nice they look?

We really need to make some drastic changes. I know it sounds corny...but I am gonna make a conscious effort to take the time to smell the roses.

I commute every day to work, approximately an hour each way. During this time I do an awful lot of thinking (singing too!). Today when I was driving along I took the time to look at things as I was driving and think how beautiful the things were. Like how beautiful a Red Maple tree is and how rich the colours are when it planted beside another Maple tree. The contrast of red and green was amazing. When I look in my rear view mirror and see the beautiful colours of the sky as the sun is coming up. Or when I get frustrated because I am sitting in a line of traffic behind a school bus, and then look over to see a Mom with her teeny tiny little Chihuahua waiting for her daughter to come bouncing off the bus. Not only is Mom beaming with pride the little dog is bouncing too!

So.....I am going to try something that my little sister Courtney started on her blog a while back...things to be thankful for. ( no matter how corny - if it put a smile on my face....I am thankful for that!)

So today - I am thankful for Red Maple trees.

Chow for now,

(stepping down off my soap box now........)

Jacqui