When Things are Sad, Pray
Just over a month ago someone died where I used to live, and rumor has it, by his own hand. He and his followers made my family feel intensely unsafe, and they wouldn’t let it go. I wouldn’t let it go either. More often than not, I feel like my approach was well-handled given the circumstances. I do have regrets, but not many. Since I received the message about his death, I have felt an odd cocktail of emotions. Relief, sadness and the temptation of vindication. I am relieved that he won’t be harassing anyone anymore. As with any bully, he was sad and wanted everyone else to be as miserable as himself. This is undoubtedly a sad story with a sad ending. A part of me wants to feel vindication, because maybe this is evidence of his own misery and my own righteousness, but this is immature and silly. This has nothing to do with me. Someone died, and this is a sad story.