simply. a nightmare.

my ears perk up anytime i hear the word "bronx" on the news. this morning was no different. in my state of just-waking, i figured it was some other part of the bronx.

but no. the real difference was that this time. it was, in fact, about my part of the bronx.

highbridge.

the tight-knit and relatively remote community in the south bronx. tucked away, high on a hill behind yankee stadium.

i don't ever want to hear about them on the news. especially on the national news. on the international news. especially not when it is due to an overwhelming tragedy. and one involving so many children. so many children that i work with every week.

but that's exactly what i did hear this morning. on every channel. in every newspaper.

their lives have enough obstacles. but this too? wrestling with the grief that's inspired by a devestating fire that caused so much loss. loss of family. loss of friends. loss of students. loss of the scarce security that they let themselves believe in. loss of the bare threads of innocence that they've somehow managed to hold on to.

so much went up in smoke.

yes. this morning was different. as i ran out the door faster than i ever have on any single morning in recent history, i thought. . .

oh god. this is different.