The Virginia Tech Shooter

It has been over a year since Seung-Hui Cho murdered his community, plowed salt into his soil and then snuffed himself out.

Unrooted.

His sister had deep connections in rich soil. She had friends who nourished her, a bright future to shower sunlight on her leaves and, just as important, it was bright enough to coax greater growth towards the light. Her roots were strong enough and deep enough to support her when foul weather challenged her integrity.

Roots, sunlight and rich soil.

But her brother never found fruitful purchase. The light where he grew was too dim to increase growth to the light. Two seeds, sown in nearly the same soil, nurtured in the same backyards by the same gardeners, and one flourishes and the other stunted, grew first diseased and then poisonous.

It could be malformation. A genetic anomaly. Or bad luck. Maybe the gardeners were more attentive to the health of the one sapling and poor stewards to the other.

What kind of gardener will I be?