From A Stranger With Love

From A Stranger With Love

A Facebook message I received on April 18th from a girl with my same name who attends school in California:

Dear Aislynn,

This may be a lame attempt to bridge some sort of metaphysical gap with a complete stranger, but here goes.

I am a world away from you, here in California where the sun was shining bright and unassuming overhead on the day that terror ravaged your campus. There were murmurs of violence by midmorning, but by the hours of the late afternoon, everyone knew. I don't have anything else to say other than I don't know what to do with myself as the hours continue onward - everything I worried about yesterday seems too trivial for words...

I can't imagine how you feel or the aftershock of the cataclysmic events you and your peers endured yesterday. I just feel as if nothing is real- except for Virginia Tech.

I do not know you, or anyone who lost their life in yesterday's events. But there is something profound I feel - my thoughts and prayers are with you and your peers. I feel very small knowing of the devastation that must grip you, but not actually being able to empathize, to begin to conceive such momentous grief. You and your peers- all those who are broken as a result of yesterday's events- you are in my heart and on my mind constantly. Nothing else is as important as the profound and enduring message of love and human camaraderie. From me to you, across the country, I send all of my love and support. I realize these are intangible sentiments, but they are all I have to offer.

Love, Aislynn





A message from a girl I went to high school with:

aislynn-
lately, you've been on my heart a lot and i have been meaning to get ahold of you to see how you are, but as lame as an excuse as it is, i've been busy with school. today i went over to tech and visited the tent on the drill field, as i was going around i caught sight of a coffee cup with message on it that was just heartbreaking. i thanked God for not letting this person be harmed and though how hard it must be for the person who wrote it and how confused they must be. and then i saw that it had been written by you. and i lost it.

i want you to know that i am so thankful that you were not in norris. i want you to also know that i know your heart is weary as is mine and that it is ok to be confused and sad. you're are such a wonderful person aislynn!! i love you soo soo much and miss you like crazy. i met karla at young life camp about two years ago and she said she knew you and i thought that was so great because i remembered having drivers ed together and how much lame fun we had :)

if you need anything, please let me know. i'm praying.

peace,
logan

Aislynn Ribbe

2007-12-09

Aislynn Ribbe

eng