Sometimes It’s Best To Say Nothing

Nashville is hurting today.

It was a surprise stab in the back. The “it” that can’t happen here … happened here.

Nashville has seen, over the years, one of the worst train wrecks, a deadly Waffle House shooting, and a man in an RV on Christmas morning try to bomb 2nd Avenue back into the 1800s.

Then there was Monday, March 27th about 10:15 a.m. The news came fast on social media. By 11, we knew an assailant had murdered people at a church school, and police had killed the shooter.

It got worse every few minutes. The shock, the fear, and yes, the tears!

Three 9 year olds and three adults in their 60s murdered by a 28 year old woman with three guns and a detailed manifesto of her plans. It was, and remains, a nightmare!

The usual town show biz social warriors spoke out, he elected area politicians sent prayers, and the rest of us just tried to process what happened.

Time will come for debate, just not in the blistering hot moments after something unimaginable like this.

Save your breath for the debate time. Organize your thoughts and see where they can do the most good. Right now, we need soothing and consolation, not scolding and blaming. Plenty of time for that up the road.

No matter what the social issue, you can predict the usual Music Row suspects, left and right will have something to say. For now, just learn. There’s a time for everything. On Monday, seconds after the shooting, wasn’t that time. This is Nashville! Things like this happen elsewhere.

It felt like 9/11. I just wanted to know where all my family was. Three were in church schools very near that school. We were all scared, nervous, and freaked out maybe a little too.

The sun came up this morning. Wasn’t sure it would. Nashville moms and dads squeezed their babies extra tight last night, not really wanting to see them go today.

I sure hope those witnesses never have to pay a cent for mental health counseling! Maybe that’s where we start.

I wanted to write about Luke Combs starting his world tour and someone throwing beer at Morgan Wallen in Australia, Scott Borchetta getting hurt at Road Atlanta and Ronnie Milsap having an 80th birthday at the Opry, but I just can’t. Not today. I need to take a deep breath.

God bless the victims and their families, schoolmates and friends. I just feel sick!