Happy Thanksgiving to All and especially to those of us who are feeling our Loss

As I sit here and reflect on past Thanksgivings, all I can think of is those who meant so much to me who are no longer with me.  Of course, I think of my parents who I shared a close relationship with and were the cornerstones of my life.

Oh, how I miss them.  My dad making numerous trips to the grocery store, picking up things he forgot and additional items my mom sent him to get to make that Thanksgiving dinner so special.  Mom was always in the kitchen and the fumes from the turkey, collard greens, candid yams, etc. to delight your pallet filled the air.

Until I lost my beloved Justin, I did the same thing for my daughter Shenita and him.   Holiday were always important.  What seemed so trivial but meant so much is gone and life will never be the same again.  I don’t care how many people come or don’t come, life is so different and the magnitude of our loss cannot be measured or debated.

Nevertheless, this Thanksgiving, let’s keep in mind the blessings God has graced us with. The fact that God did not give us our children and loved ones, he loaned them to us. Just as he giveth, he taketh. And as thankful we are for that loan and equally as hurt from the loss, let’s look to those we still have with us, enjoy them, be thankful for them and not take them for granted.

And let’s remember that the memories we make today are the ones we will look back on tomorrow.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone from http://www.survivingmurder1.com

Denise Cosby

​Author of Forthcoming Memoir:

Murder at Harvard University Kirkland House –A Mother’s Worst Nightmare

A MOTHER’S LOVE ENDURES – HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY!

Mother’s Day means so many things to different people.  Mother’s Day is a day set aside to recognize all mothers or persons whom have acted as mothers.  Mothers are sometimes not the woman who birthed you but she is the woman who supported you through thick and thin, doctored you when you were sick, listened to you when nobody else cared and loved you no matter what.  You could always depend on a mother to pick you up when you are down.  No matter what disagreements have come and gone, a mother’s love endures.

Mother’s Day is one of the most deserved and recognized days of the year.  It is a day when we tell our Mothers how much we love them and appreciate them.  It is also a day mothers look forward too because they know their most precious jewels will make them smile by showing them how much they appreciate and love them.  Many are flourished with special dinners, cards, flowers, gifts and moments.  Some are just happy to be able to hear their children’s voice.  No matter the method of communication when a child shows love to his mother, Mother’s Day usually leaves memories that mothers take to the grave with them.

My mother died about 20 years ago.  I still remember her teachings, scoldings, support and most of all love she showed me.  20 years later, I still have cards and mementos she gave me for inspiration and motivation.  I know my mother’s love still endures.

The best day of my life was when I became a mother.  Even though I went through long hard labors, the reward outweighed the pain.  My first child Shenita, a girl; someone to dress up, teach to become a young lady and groom for woman hood.  Shenita has become an amazing young woman and I thank God for her every day.  Shenita has been a gift and I am very proud of her.

DEATH PENALTY FOR DZHOKHAR TSARNAVEV – WHERE DO YOU STAND?

For years the Boston Marathon has been one of Boston’s most proudest events.  Runners come from all over the world to compete and participate in the 26-mile marathon.  On April 15, 2013, as crowds of spectators cheered on runners who were approaching the finishing line, two homemade pressure cooker bombs exploded seconds apart.  The devastation caused mass destruction and left over 260 people with major injuries including many lost limbs.  Those bombs took the lives of 3 people.  29 year old Krystal Campbell, Boston University Graduate student Lingzi Lu and little 8 year old Richard Martin laid dead amidst the carnage.  The attack also left the City in an uproar.  Over the next few days, the local residents were ordered to stay in their homes while the police pursued the suspects.  On April 19, 2013, law enforcement continued to scan the City for the suspects.  MIT Police Officer Sean Collier was approached by the suspects was and shot dead.  The suspects left the area where Officer Collier was shot and went a couple miles away to a neighboring City of Allston.  There they hi-jacked a vehicle, drove the owner to a service station in Cambridge where the owner escaped and ran into a nearby service station begging for help.  The clerk called the police and a high speed chase ensued into nearby Watertown, another bordering city just a few miles away.

The suspects turned out to be Tamerian Tsarnaev and Dzhokhar Tsarnavev, two brothers from Cambridge.  The chase ended when Tamerian Tsarnaev fell from the car and his brother Dzhokhar ran over him resulting in Tamerian’s death.

Dzhokhar escaped during all the mayhem and went on the run for 2 days.  Cambridge Police, Boston Police, Watertown Police State Police and Federal law officials set up a command post in Watertown until they found Dzhokhar hiding in a boat in one residents’ back yard.  Dzhokhar was apprehended and taken into custody.  Many lives were altered, devastated and destroyed by the Tsasrnavev brothers actions.

In January 2015, a Dzhokhar Tsarnavev went on trial at John Moakley Federal Court in Boston.  On March 3, 2015 a jury of his peers were chosen.  Dzhokhar faced 30 counts of charges in connection with the bombing.  17 of those counts punishable by the death penalty.

On April 8, 2015, two years after the bombing, the verdict came in.  Dzhokhar Tsarnavev was found Guilty on all 30 counts including conspiracy and use of weapons of mass destruction.   17 of those counts are punishable by death.

Many of us have lost loved ones to murder.  However if we were given the opportunity to choose life or death for the pepertrator would you be able to choose the death penalty?   Death is final and ends the pain, misery and punishment for the offender.  However, life in prison without the possibility of parole is a living hell.  Each and every day that person lives, he has to think about what he has done, the pain and devastation he has caused and the fact that he has no chance to ever cause harm again.

IS THE DEATH PENALTY HARSHER PUNISHMENT THAN LIFE WITHOUT PAROLE?  WHAT IS YOUROPINION?