My family like everyone else, has been moved by this terrible tragedy in our town. Now I am originally from Bridgeport which unfortunately has seen its fair share of crime and tragedy. But even I must tell you I have never seen or heard anything such as this event. These two people obviously had some sort of anger against society–I don’t know. We all get angry at the world. Most of us learn how to deal with it. I like to use my artistic outlet. The Underground Town Hall has been such an outlet for me and I am grateful for all the people who hit my website daily. I am not a well known person, and not in politics. I am just an ordinary person from Cheshire.

Now Cheshire is on the map–this story carried all over the world. People just can’t believe this can happen. Many people keep saying this is not the real story–there must be more to it–the police are holding back. It is hard to fathom that there are some people so demented that they act in this manner. They channel their hatred and frustration on other innocent people. The sad fact is: there are people in this world that want to hurt and take from you. The world is full of stalkers, rapists, thieves and murderers. What can the average person do? Keep vigilant. Look around you when you are in the public. Look when you get out of your car. See who is around you. Watch yourself all the time. Lock your doors, close your windows at night. If you are a woman and driving alone, do not ever pull up next to a car so that they can see you are alone. Stagger back a bit. I always worked nights and in many instances had to drive great distances late in the evening to get home. I tried to take different routes when I could. I always keep aware of my surroundings. I remember several years ago, I was driving home late from one of my jobs, when a car behind me started flashing its lights. I would not pull over.

The car continued to flash its lights and blow its horn. I kept driving. I ended up calling the state police. I want to tell you my heart was pounding. I had the police on the phone when I happened to look in my rear-view mirror as my car passed under a streetlight only to discover it was a friend of mine playing a joke. Well, I pulled over and got out the car and told this “friend” that he probably came within minutes of having several state police cars which were en-route- from surrounding his vehicle. I am sure most of you have had your share of scary moments. I know many of you wonder where God is at times like this. Believe me HE is here and he sees and protects.

Approximately a year and a half ago, I went to the local supermarket in town to pick up some groceries after work. It was around 11 p.m. I did my business in the store and as I was walking to my car, a young girl around high school age came running up to me and asked me if “that car over there was mine.” I told her it was and she said someone hit the car and took off. Of course I was upset and asked her if she got the license plate number.

The young girl said she got a partial plate number. I said “great” we will call the police. Just as I started to call, her sister came up to me and said that she saw the car and knew who the person was. She said she attended school with this person. She knew the street the person lived on. She knew the address.

As we waited for the police, who came within minutes, the girl told me that the person who had hit my car and took off had harassed her in school that very day. The police found the person at home, and the car with damage parked in the driveway. Restitution was eventually made by the family. In God’s name, what are the odds of this event happening the way it did. It was a miracle.

Several months after that, a family member was traveling to New York City. In this person’s haste, they dropped their brand new cell phone. A few hours later, I recieved a call from my mom. She said a cab driver had found the phone in the seat of his cab and was trying to contact us to return the phone. Even though we did not get the phone back and had to cancel the service, it was uplifting to know this cabdriver took the time to contact one of my family members. In fact, he tried to run after the family member as this person was going into Grand Central Station but lost the person in the crowd.

Just recently, another family member was traveling again, and lost a wallet with the passport and personal family information. When I found out about this, I had to take measures to protect our privacy. We were very upset. Then a few days ago, on my answering machine, was the voice of a man who called to say he had found the passport and the other personal information in the wallet on the train tracks in New York City. The person sent the property back intact just in time for the family member to resume their travels.

We still have to be careful and had to take the precaution, but again what were the odds of that happening? The person who called said he worked for Amtrak and found the property.

Amazing. A miracle, as my husband said.

You see people, God looks out–he really does. My family has had its share of sadness and trials, and we are tested all the time. But we know God is looking out for us and he is looking out for you and for the Petit family relatives.

When another member of my family passed way almost 30 years ago, we were all devastated. The family member died at such a young age, 56. The family member dropped dead from a heart attack on Dec. 22, 1979. We mourned every year. Every year there was sadness in our thoughts and hearts.

Then nearly a decade later, I was pregnant with one of my children. The day came for the child to be born. I went to the hospital on a cold winter day. As the day came to an end, my son was born. The date on the calender—Dec. 22.

As the bible says: “Weeping Endureth for a Night, But Joy Cometh in the Morning.”