Hold your loved ones a little closer

The first thing my husband told me when the press release came out about the murder charges in Chase County was “That’s not supposed to happen here.”
    Truthfully, it shouldn’t happen anywhere.
    Some comments on Facebook about the incident said stuff like this didn’t used to happen, that those of us in small-town western Nebraska have been able to live with a sense of security.
    While that’s true, another issue I’ve noticed growing up in said small-town is a sense of naivety.
    Whether we admit it or not, there are drug and other problems right here in Chase County and southwest Nebraska.
    What we need to take from this incident is to accept those realities and teach our youth preventative measures instead of covering their ears and letting them believe the world is all cupcakes and rainbows.
    While I will be holding my loved ones a little closer this holiday week, I will also be praying that we as a community can be there for those affected by this tragic incident.