We Are All Buckeyes Today

Our Keepsake Journal is Here! 🎉

Like everyone else today, I’m just coming down from the glow of a holiday weekend, running errands and running a few miles to work off a few of those extra slices of pie. I came in to sit down to lunch, hopped on social media, and the first thing I saw was the Ohio State University lockdown. My post holiday glow is shattered, as is my heart, and my sense of safety.

During the holiday season, I’m brimming with idealism, and over the top with love, peace and goodwill toward others. This world makes that impossible to sustain. It is abominable that students return from the Thanksgiving break to have their lives put in jeopardy on the very campus that is there to build them into responsible, respectful, well-rounded adult citizens. I recoil from a world where students seeking an education and self-betterment are under threat of their lives. I recoil from a world where we have to teach children how to handle an “active shooter” emergency. I’m angry that I have to sit down with my children, again today and discuss the evil of this world that I cannot begin to understand myself.

But mostly, my heart goes out to those who are there, both the ones who are injured, and those who witnessed the incident, which reportedly included knife attacks, and possibly motor vehicle assault. Many will face terrors and nightmares for years after this event. My heart is with those whose children who were injured or terrified; the parents who frantically call and text their children, praying for an answer. My heart is with the first responders, police officers, fire fighters, and emergency medical providers, who run into dangerous situations to rescue others; the men and women who keep us all safe every day. My heart is with the loved ones of the suspect, heaven knows their hearts must be heavy with this news, and the loss of their loved one.

I live in Michigan, and am a University of Michigan Wolverines fan. The Buckeyes are our arch-rivals, or nemesis, if you will. Ours is one of the biggest rivalries in college football, and certainly the biggest in the Big 10 conference. But today, I am a Buckeye. I stand with the students, faculty, family and friends of Ohio State University, and send forth love, prayers and goodwill.

I'm safe in a barricaded room. If you're on campus, get in a room and stay safe. pic.twitter.com/Gaw7gjTx6w

— Harrison Roth (@goisles29) November 28, 2016

Buckeye Alert: Active Shooter on campus. Run Hide Fight. Watts Hall. 19th and College.

— OSU Emergency Mngmnt (@OSU_EMFP) November 28, 2016

Feature image via Harrison Roth’s Twitter account after reports of an active shooter at Ohio State University.

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Alethea Mshar

Alethea Mshar is a mother of four children; an adult child who passed away of a drug overdose, one typical daughter and two sons who have Down syndrome, one of whom has autism spectrum disorder and complex medical needs. She has written "What Can I Do To Help", a guide to stepping into the gap when someone you know has a child diagnosed with cancer, which is available on Amazon, and is publishing a memoir titled, "Hope Deferred". She can be found on Twitter as leemshar, and blogs for The Mighty HuffPost as Alethea Mshar, as well as her own blog, Ben's Writing Running Mom on https://benswritingrunningmom.wordpress.com/. She is also on Facebook as Alethea Mshar, The Writing, Running Mom.

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