Questions with no answers

I wrote to S on Saturday night. The usual stuff. What I did during the week. I included some of the fall color pictures I posted here a few days ago.

I also wrote this:

"I've been feeling very sad this week. It's because of the Amish children who were killed in Pennsylvania. I know they are already starting their new lives, and the Divine has something special for them, but it just seems so cruel that such a terrible thing happens to these people. And all they can do is forgive, with their hearts broken. Isn't it remarkable that these people actually live what their faith is? The media seems astounded that they are willing to forgive the gunmen who killed their daughters.

"Oh, I know there's plenty of evil in the world, and I try to pay it no mind--to do so, I think, gives the evil satisfaction, and I refuse to give them that happiness. I don't know. I just try to be good to others, to be kind. I guess I'm just feeling sad and confused about this episode. There is more than enough sadness in the world. But why these people? I'm having a hard time dealing with this. Can there be any good out of this tragedy?

"I think I'm tired. It's late. I've just been thinking about it a lot. It's like those reasons I gave up on organized religion. Because I can't understand why a good and loving God would let this happen."

Earlier today, they held the funeral for the gunmen who killed five Amish girls in their schoolhouse. There are five more who are injured, and one may not make it. Here is what the wire story said:

GEORGETOWN, Pa. - Dozens of Amish neighbors came out Saturday to mourn the quiet milkman who killed five of their young girls and wounded five more in a brief, unfathomable rampage. Charles Carl Roberts IV, 32, was buried in his wife's family plot behind a small Methodist church, a few miles from the one-room schoolhouse he stormed Monday ... About half of perhaps 75 mourners on hand were Amish. "It's the love, the forgiveness, the heartfelt forgiveness they have toward the family. I broke down and cried seeing it displayed," said Porter, [a fire department from Colorado who had come to Pennsylvania to offer what help he could]. He said Marie Roberts [the gunman's widow] was also touched. "She was absolutely deeply moved, by just the love shown," Porter said.

The story goes on the recount the incident, which took place last Monday. It talks about all the condolances that have been coming in from near and far and the money that has been raised--about $500,000 has been pledged--to help cover the medical costs of the five survivors.

Events like this ... well, I said it in the letter. Few things affect me as deeply as this.