{"id":4713,"date":"2015-09-15T22:52:49","date_gmt":"2015-09-16T02:52:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/gollypolly.com\/30473\/?p=4713"},"modified":"2015-09-16T07:29:43","modified_gmt":"2015-09-16T11:29:43","slug":"the-tale-of-it-all","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gollypolly.com\/30473\/?p=4713","title":{"rendered":"Spread the love."},"content":{"rendered":"

\"buildinglite\"<\/a>\"amechurch\"<\/a> \"amesteps\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Here we are down in Charleston, SC.\u00a0 We decided to pack a bag, leave a note, and take a little over-nighter down to our home-away-from-home.<\/p>\n

It has been a great trip, so far. But it has crossed a wide span of emotions. We have had a great deal of fun; had the opportunity to see some old friends; and of course, explore this amazing city once again.<\/p>\n

So much of it seems exactly the same, but simultaneously different.<\/p>\n

The city buzzes with activity.\u00a0 There is history pouring out of the sidewalks and spilling from the tops of buildings.\u00a0 Gorgeous cemeteries, beautiful weather, and a view of the bay which is speckled with remnants of old Civil War Forts and battle sites\u2026 the likes of which include Fort Sumter.<\/p>\n

A cruise ship was in yesterday, and those boat people were in a touristy-shopping frenzy.\u00a0 And speaking of frenzies, we have been eating like Bandits since we got here.\u00a0 Actually, we have been eating like Kings!<\/p>\n

I walked a great deal of the downtown from end to end.\u00a0 And then I made the decision to visit a church.\u00a0 Not just any church, but the Emanuel AME.\u00a0 I have been past that church a hundred times before.<\/p>\n

And never, in all those times, did I ever suspect that a horrific tragedy would take place there.<\/p>\n

As I stood before it today\u2026. it felt like the world had simply moved on.\u00a0 Most of the world, at least.\u00a0 Certainly, the loved ones of those slain will never move on.\u00a0 They will always be reminded.\u00a0 Somehow, somewhere.<\/p>\n

I stood at those steps, in front of that church.\u00a0 I imagined the evening of June 17, 2015\u2026. moments before the mass shooting took place. During a prayer service, nine people were killed by a gunman, Dylann Storm Roof.<\/p>\n

He walked up those very steps\u2026 with intent and purpose.\u00a0 As a result, nine innocent people died, because they were black.\u00a0 No other reason.<\/p>\n

I will never be able to wrap my mind around this way of thinking.\u00a0 Why a person hates other people, simply because they are not the same as the person filled with hate.<\/p>\n

Blacks, Homosexuals, Jews, Women, so many more\u2026 just because\u2026. and for no good reason.\u00a0 If you call it religious beliefs, I don\u2019t want your religion.\u00a0 If you call it God\u2019s will\u2026 I don\u2019t want anything from that particular God.<\/p>\n

I want to know love,\u00a0 kindness, goodness, acceptance, and compassion.<\/p>\n

Like walking down a familiar street, in a place you love.\u00a0 Like sharing breakfast with a couple of old friends.\u00a0 Like being yourself, exactly as you were meant to be.<\/p>\n

Without ever having to worry about falling victim to someone\u2019s hatred.<\/p>\n

Cynthia Marie Graham Hurd (54) \u2013 Bible study member and manager for the Charleston County Public Library system; sister of Malcolm Graham
\nSusie Jackson (87) \u2013 a Bible study and church choir member
\nEthel Lee Lance (70) \u2013 the church’s sexton
\nDepayne Middleton-Doctor (49) \u2013 a pastor who was also employed as a school administrator and admissions coordinator at Southern Wesleyan University
\nClementa C. Pinckney (41) \u2013 the church’s pastor and a South Carolina state senator
\nTywanza Sanders (26) \u2013 a Bible study member; nephew of Susie Jackson
\nDaniel Simmons (74) \u2013 a pastor who also served at Greater Zion AME Church in Awendaw
\nSharonda Coleman-Singleton (45) \u2013 a pastor; also a speech therapist and track coach at Goose Creek High School
\nMyra Thompson (59) \u2013 a Bible study teacher<\/p>\n

Bless them.\u00a0 Their families, their hearts, their souls.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“What would Scooby Doo?”\u00a0 —\u00a0 Seen on T-Shirt in Charleston, SC<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

“I didn’t mean to hack anyone off tonight.\u00a0 I just think we should all try to get along.” — Polly C Kronenberger<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

Spread love everywhere you go. Let no one ever come to you without leaving happier.\u00a0 —<\/span>Mother Teresa<\/strong><\/em><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Here we are down in Charleston, SC.\u00a0 We decided to pack a bag, leave a note, and take a little over-nighter down to our home-away-from-home. It has been a great trip, so far. But it has crossed a wide span of emotions. We have had a great deal of fun; had the opportunity to see […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4713","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-nowyouseeit"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/gollypolly.com\/30473\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4713","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/gollypolly.com\/30473\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/gollypolly.com\/30473\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gollypolly.com\/30473\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gollypolly.com\/30473\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=4713"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/gollypolly.com\/30473\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4713\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4722,"href":"https:\/\/gollypolly.com\/30473\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4713\/revisions\/4722"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/gollypolly.com\/30473\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=4713"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gollypolly.com\/30473\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=4713"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gollypolly.com\/30473\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=4713"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}