Let's not be TOO oversensitive

Mundane Pointless Stuff I Must Share (MPSIMS)
#1

Today, a girl in my (Junior) class’s mom died. It was expected, but they thought she had another week. (They were waiting for a lung donor.) Anyway, the principle came and got her out of first period and told her (it happened after she had left for school), then they made the announcement in homeroom.

The thing was, people who knew the girl, but had never met her mom, and people who hardly even knew the girl were in tears. Sure, I felt reasonably sorry for her and her family, but I’m not goning to be reduced to tears because someone-I-barely-know’s mother died. Some of the girls (it’s an all-girl school) spent the whole day in counselor’s office crying, and they only knew the girl because they had a class with her last year (or some vague relation like that). They had never even talked to her.

I can understand being sypathetic, but today was absolutely ridiculous. You had to be there to understand what I’m talking about. I’m not trying to come across as if I don’t give a care, but, really, some people are WAY too oversensitive.

White Wolf

“Death is the only inescapable, unavoidable, sure thing. We are sentenced to die the day we’re born.” -Gary Mark Gilmore

#2

I… I… can’t understand why you would even SAY such a thing! Boo hoo hoo…

Modest? You bet I’m modest! I am the queen of modesty!

#3

You can’t really rate someone on sensitivity ya know? An explanation might be that some of the people had similar experiences and this brought it back to them. I lost a very close friend in high school and it seemed like there were a lot of people in hysterics that barely even knew him. I assumed it was just for “show value”. That’s sad that anyone would have to resort to that for attention, but hey, that’s high school for ya.

“The world is not five hours old and evil has already entered it” - Aslan
The Magician’s Nephew

#4

Sometimes when these things happen it brings to the forefront for people that yes, some day they will have to go through the same thing, its a fear.

We are, each of us angels with only one wing;
and we can only fly by
embracing one another

#5

I thought you were going to segue into this:
http://www.theonion.com/onion3539/good_news_prescription.html

(it starts kinda slow)

#6

I don’t know. I remember the day the Challenger exploded. It didn’t hit me when they announced it in class, but after school I saw them replay the explosion OVER and OVER and OVER on tv. I finally had some sort of revelation about the reality and permanence of death and the effect it has on the beloved and just. . . bawled all night. Of course, I didn’t know Christa Mac Auliff (sp) or any of the others, but. . .

Yes, it’s the first inkling that “someday you will go through this, too.” That YOU are mortal, and that everyone around you is, also. Mortality happens even to those who seem most infallible.

It was especially wierd to me when people in and around my OWN circle of friends began dying. It made me think about the circle of life and death, and the signifigance of the time you spend in between. That can be kind of spooky.

#7

Well, hell, I don’t know! It hit me, my own pain off the tangent of another’s. Did this interfere with your life in anyway? No? Then what are you bitching about? Sure, some people will use any excuse to get out of class but when a death hits, someone you know and love, it hits you too.

When my brother was killed, in a horrible hit and run accident, I lost my mind! Lot’s of folks I worked with, loved, shared my life with, felt a very dark pain akin to my own.

Sure, you can say that some of these folks were just using it but do you really think all of them were? I almost DIED when I found out about my brother. Those who knew me and loved me felt my pain. They echoed it back. Do you really think that everyone who reacted were doing so for some ulterior motive?

#8

Byzantine, I think there is a difference between what you are talking about and what the OP is talking about.

Earlier this year I lost a friend to a rare disease. We had a sort of party for him after he was gone, where we could remember him and the times we shared while he was alive. It was supposed to be a hppy occasion, and for the most part it was, but there were times where we all broke down and cried. Perfectly normal. These were all people who knew and loved the guy. But I would certainly think it very strange for someone who barely knew my friend to break down and cry. I agree that for girls to spend the whole day in the counselor’s office because someone they didn’t even know died, is silly. The idea that the death triggered fears that might hit closer to home have merit, but I doubt that was the case for all those girls. Just my 2 cents.

#9

Shit yeah, I know what you say… it’s do you know me, my pain? Is it your pain? Like when we, collectively, should morn Princess Di… bite me. I never knew her. I felt a lot more pain over Mother Teresa. But hey, that’s just me and my bag.