On Monday morning as I drove around the Butler County Courthouse I was reminded of the events of last Friday when a man went on a killing spree in the Fulton County Courthouse. I could not help but think about the people in the courthouse.

I consider many of these people my friends and to think that something like what happened in Atlanta could happen here, makes me worry about them all.

As Paul Harvey is fond of saying, "We are not one world anymore." When things like last Friday happen I cannot think but how true a statement it is.

Earlier that morning I watched as the woman who is being called a hero described her ordeal with the gunman to Matt Lauer.

As the day progressed, more and more came about this extraordinary lady and what has transpired in her life.

In the very same apartment complex where she was held hostage, she held her husband in the parking lot after he was stabbed and watched him die.

She told the gunman that day that if he killed her, that her child would grow up without parents.

She also told him about God's promises of a glorious eternity and I think somewhere they were heard.

Hearing her story reminded me of Cassie.

She was at school one April morning when two gunmen began randomly shooting her classmates and detonating bombs.

Yes it was Columbine High School.

Cassie was asked by one of the gunmen if she believed in God and she answered that she did.

He then shot her in the head.

Man is guilty of all that he does and all that he does not do.

I think one of the biggest mistakes we can ever make in our lives is not acknowledging our belief in God.

In Cassie's case, her faith cost her an earthly life.

In the Atlanta woman's case, her faith, saved her's.

You know as I've written before in this space, we are not promised tomorrow.

So man is guilty of all that does do and all that doesn't do.

Does that mean we should carry the burden of the past?

No, it doesn't.

If we sat around and thought about all that we could have done differently and should have done differently, we'd drive ourselves crazy.

Just as important, we should not always make decisions that put us in the future.

Life is meant to be lived and sometimes you should live for the moment and not the next day.

I so think Anthony Hopkins speaks volumes when he states in the movie, Meet Joe Black, about turning 65.

"Doesn't it go by in a flash?"

Yes it does and it's up to us to make sure that we carry our beliefs with us and that we honor them.

Just as the two strong women did when they faced their gunmen.

It's cliched but as always, seize the day.

Jay Thomas is managing editor of the Greenville Advocate and can reached at 383-9302, ext. 136 or via email at jay.thomas@greenvilleadvocate.com.