Virginia Tech

Published: Apr. 18, 2007 at 2:32 AM
Last modified: Apr. 18, 2007 at 2:34 AM

How appropriate it feels that I had been replanting things damaged by the recent freeze just before the Virginia Tech Convocation, where I heard the story of Professor Liviu Librescu.

A seventy-six year old holocaust survivor, Professor Librescu died in the senseless violence that visited Virginia Tech's campus this week. More importantly, Professor Librescu was holding the door closed as young students escaped through the windows when the gunman shot him.

The irony of the two major violent dramas Professor Librescu experienced in his life tempts me to believe in destiny, though I really do not. Still, his life as a survivor only to give the ultimate sacrifice this week holds important lessons about how deeply the human spirit's reslience can flow.

Equally to the beautiful young violinist who died in the chaos, we are left with a dual message of both persistence and beauty wrapped up in the most clear definition of real paradox imaginable when we consider both she and Professor Librescu simultaneously.

This paradox that calls upon persistence as it's primary driving motive, will pull upon the hearts of the families suffering from phenomonal loss over the next months and years, as well as all those involved at Virginia Tech including it's University culture.

The worst shooting tragedy in American history, therefore is not colored by the numbers, but by the sadness that an aspiring violinist will not be heard, as the notes unheard join with the terrible memory of the millions from an earlier time, carried upon the memory of a 76 year old professor. God Bless the families surviving the Viriginia Tech tragedy. I'm convinced Proferssor Librescu's tiller is already making yet another way.