I woke up this morning in a new room, in a new house, with a refreshing feeling about another chapter in my life.  I started my morning routine as usual with extra strong Foldger’s instant coffee (a county jail habit I can’t seem to break), making my bed and talking to God for a little bit.  After the caffeine did it’s trick and I had my nicotine fix, I proceeded with my usual pushup/burpee/jumping jack exercise routine, nothing crazy.  It’s amazing what 45 minutes of exercise and a good sweat can do for the spirit early in the morning.  I couldn’t have been in better spirits getting into the car with my Aunt when she informed me there was a mass shooting in Las Vegas and at least 50 people were killed.  My heart sank, as it usually does when I hear about this sort of thing.  But this time was different, I didn’t sit and try understand why?  Or get wrapped up in the details of the gunman, and sit baffled and confused as to how someone could do such a thing.  I just thought to myself… mankind is twisted, the human mind is so complex beyond our understanding, and there is so much pain built up within each and every one of us that of course these kind of things are going to happen.  Have I become desensitized to death and tragedy because of the field I have chosen to work in?  Day in and day out witnessing deaths and disappointment due to drug addiction, alcoholism and compulsive behavior…possibly.  I have come to realize that very few people actual get in touch with who they really are and most of us including myself run away from emotional pain.  Pop culture and songs on the radio tell the kids to drink cough syrup and smoke marijuana until they can’t feel anymore.  Kids are given iphones at age 8 and sent to Netflix when parents don’t have time to talk about their feelings with them.  Are we just one giant realm of avoidance?  Maybe so, and maybe we have come so far from talking about how we feel that we think no one gives a shit anymore.  So, mental health problems are ignored and anger builds and builds in the depths of a person who isolates until they decide to unload round after round into a mass of innocent people.  It breaks my heart and I will ask God to place healing on those families who are impacted by this tragedy.  Another tragedy like this will happen again, and really is there anything we can do about it?  Is the human mind so powerful and complex that it can’t be helped?  I think not.  I’m not trying to change the world, I’m just trying to do my part…  Congratulations to the Twins for getting that wildcard spot.