I first came to be writin for the Morning Star News after I saw an advertisement at the Big Ben's Kingscalendar Website. Recently I was rummaging around on that website when I came across a series of links to newspaper reports about violent acts committed by women.
The most recent event in the list, was about a woman who murdered her children because she didn't want them to spend Christmas Day with their Da. It was a terrible terrible thing to be readin.
As I was checkin out the links to such terrible events, I found meself dumbstruck at the sheer number of women who, for various reasons, commit violent criminal acts that surely to God should be considered contrary to the feminine nature.
I guess it just goes to show that the Good Book is correct when it says that none are righteous - not even one.
But the disturbing thing for me, was wondering if this female violence is a new phenomenon, or whether modern instant media dissemination, is just lettin us hear more of it.
Each person is the product of their nature and nurture, which is to say, their upbringing and the influence that the surrounding society has on them, and I don't know which is the more frightening; to think that women have always been so violent, or to think that something has fundamentally changed in our societies so as to promote or perhaps to justify this violence.
It used to be said that there was nothing more sure than a mother's love for her child, but ye've got to wonder now whether any little kiddie is safe in his mother's arms.
Has our university hobnobs tellin us that 'we have our rights' changed the way a mother looks at her babe? Has our 'instant pleasure' society made us incapable of facing up to our responsibilities no matter how inconvenient they may be?
Have we become so 'me' centered, that we care not a whim how our actions effect others?
The nurturing I got as a lad from my family, friends and local community, taught me to be a good, decent and hardworking person, but gosh and begorrah I sometimes think that these words don't even exist in the vocabularies of so many people.
I remember me Ma once saying that if it weren't for her good Christian upbringing and a lack of cash, it would have been easy on one or two occasions to have walked out on me Da; and in sayin so she added: 'And the more blessed I am for it now - thank the Lord!'
Far be it from me to be able to make a true and accurate judgment of the goings on in anyone's household or marriage, or to self righteously condemn or condone anyone's divorce, but saint's preserve us, how is it possible for parents to put their own ill feelings and needs above the right of a child to a full and happy life?
Jesus said: 'Permit the little children to come unto me, for of such is the kingdom of heaven!'
May you be blessed with many little angels, and may their patron saints be found at home.
John Walsh.
John J. Walsh, a Catholic, is originally from Ireland; went to high school and university in Australia, and later moved to the U.S.A. He lives in the Midwest and is married to an American. He now has a lot of time on his hands and is taking the opportunity to see some of his musings in print. Fearing the hot blooded protestants and not wanting to reach heaven or hell faster than is God's plan, his personal email address and other particulars are not available for publication. You may however Email him at: johnjwalsh_magic @live.com
