In mourning: Nation grieves after Fort Hood tragedy

Making sense of a tragedy is an impossible task since one cannot give order to madness, to pain, to anguish and to death. Those who try are destined to fall short, and should instead look to give comfort to those who hurt and seek justice for those responsible.

As details emerge about Thursday's shooting in Fort Hood, Texas, that left at least 13 dead, a clearer picture of those events will emerge and with it perhaps a greater understanding about that horrible tragedy. Until then, the nation should mourn the loss of these heroes and hope for healing and peace in their memory.

Pfc. Michael Pearson was a 21-year-old who joined the U.S. Army one year ago after quitting his job at a furniture store. Sgt. Amy Krueger, 29, was called to the armed forces after the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. And 21-year-old Francheska Velez had recently returned from a tour of duty in Iraq because she was three months pregnant.

They were among 13 people killed by gunfire Thursday at an army base north of Austin, Texas. Dozens more were wounded, and all were apparently shot by Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan, a 39-year-old preparing for his first deployment to Iraq. Reports have indicated Hasan was a deeply religious Muslim and that the attack may have been motivated by his adherence to extreme beliefs.

Though any shooting of this magnitude would be incomprehensible, its location and its victims — mostly members of the armed forces preparing for deployment or having recently returned from combat areas — are a particular affront to the nation. That it appears to have happened by the hand of a colleague defies easy understanding.

The men and women who volunteer to protect and defend this country epitomize the strength and resilient spirit of the United States. The loss of so many, on American soil, is the very definition of a tragedy. And while there is no way to make sense of it, we can keep those lost and wounded in our hearts and hope for a swift and peaceful healing to come.