You might have heard about the senseless deaths of a couple of college students in the last week, one a senior at UNC killed last Wednesday, and another a freshman at Auburn killed just two days ago.  Both of those hit home for me, my older son is a senior at Denison University who will be graduating in less than two months.  No matter how safe you try to make things for those you love, sometimes things happen you can’t control.

My brother called me this morning.  He just found out that the student who was killed in Auburn was his good friend’s 18 year old daughter, Lauren.  To say the Burk family is grieving would be an understatement.  Not surprising my brother, who had watched Lauren playing softball when he last visited Jimmy in Atlanta was understandably broken up.

My brother and I went to summer camp with Jimmy almost 30 years ago in the little town of Minerva, Ohio. He and my brother are the same age.  They were CIT’s (Counselor’s in Training) which meant they could torture the campers without fear of retribution.  I think Jimmy was the first to hang me from a nail on the cabin wall by my underwear, something I will always hold dear.

After I spoke to my brother this morning, I went up and looked in on my older son Josh, quietly sleeping in his old bed while back at home for his last spring break.  I can’t begin to understand what Jimmy and his family are going through, I can guess, but I’m sure it would be far off the mark.

Not a whole lot to be pithy about, I’ll save that for later.  Today, my thoughts and prayers go out to the Burk’s and their extended family at Auburn University, and the Carson family and those at UNC.  Tomorrow will be a better day.