I really was looking forward to a nice Christmas season.
My faith in humanity had been repaired over the last few weeks, seeing the stories about the "Layaway Angels" who had descended on stores (mostly Kmarts) across the nation.
It was simple acts of kindness that have been sorely lacking in our divided society of late. All the talk of 99 percent and payroll tax hikes and Dream Act fighting all melted away as people walked and called into layaway departments to make a bunch of family's holiday.
And all it took was one person to destroy all that goodwill.
To see the story of what happened in San Bernardino on Friday just boggles my mind. To shoot a person -- a soldier back home -- at a party in his honor ... there are no nice words to say.
Let's even put aside the time of year this happened, because this isn't the first time a soldier who risked his life overseas came home to be seriously injured or killed. But the alleged reason behind the attack -- an argument over football -- I mean, c'mon. Really? No, REALLY?
(A brief pause here for me to just shake my head and sigh some more).
Defending your football team's honor is enough to pull out a gun and fire twice? I'm a staunch fan of the Los Angeles Kings -- over-the-top some friends might say, especially when it comes to my opposition to the Anaheim Ducks. But a big enough fan to shoot a Ducks' fan who might get in my face? Not even close.
I'm going to try and get past it. Play Santa for my son. Go visit family and exchange gifts. See the joy and laughter and hope we have enough batteries (and earplugs) for all the new electronics.
But the calm of the season has been lost in one nearby neighborhood. All because someone had to prove a point with a gun.
All we can do now is keep our thoughts with Christopher Sullivan -- a brave soldier who thought he was finally safe, back home -- and his family. Hope that a Christmas miracle comes for them, and that their son will be OK, and his attacker apprehended by police.
Merry Christmas, y'all. Let's just hope 2012 can bring some better tidings.
