From The Dark

"In order for the light to shine so brightly, the darkness must be present."

Francis Bacon

This morning it is difficult to write about anything but the senseless tragedy that struck the city of Montreal yesterday. For reasons yet unclear, at mid day yesterday, a young man opened fire at Dawson College, in the heart of the city. Before he turned the gun on himself, a young woman was dead and as many as nineteen others were wounded.

As I write this, six victims are in critical condition and two are on life support. The facts, details, and speculation will of course unfold as the investigation continues. I'm struck by how impossible this seems. Yet it is real; seventeen years ago, a gunman shot and killed fourteen female engineering students at Montreal's École Polytechnique. My mind wanders to Columbine, Taber... and mixed with my sadness are the inevitable questions. As a woman, a mother, I can not imagine the pain, loss and anger. As an artist, I can no more make sense of this than anyone else can.

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