I wanted to thank all of you who sent notes of care and assurance. It has
been a horrible week for me and my family. Although the murderers were
apprehended we did not feel reassured given that the police and profilers
who used our home as a staging ground for interviews all week assured us
that this was not random and it was personal and most likely done by
someone close to the family or even within the family. Now none of this
makes sense. The murderers committed a string of murders and it is a
complex web of connections. We still remain uncertain.

I am back in Greensboro trying to work and knowing nothing will ever be
the same again. My thoughts roam between questioning why and thinking of
the last moments of these four people who meant so much to us. Some day I
will write about this, I know. Kathryn owned a shop called "The World of
Mirth" and the minister at the memorial service on Saturday (attended by
1400) said this was a metaphor for the life of the family - that is right
on target - there were always strings of lights hanging throughout the
house and outdoors in the yard - regardless of season - and they knew how
to have loads of fun. I would like to keep them alive in my world by
going for mirth in everything I do.

Life is truly unpredictable - love, peace, joy to all of you - Richard


W. Richard Cowling, III, RN, PhD, APRN-BC
Professor and Director PhD Program
Editor, Journal of Holistic Nursing
School of Nursing
University of North Carolina Greensboro
P.O. Box 26170
Greensboro, NC 27402-6170
Phone: 336-334-4785
FAX: 336-334-3628

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