Dry Heat...
...thanks for the advice, but you just don't get it. I have experienced horrible events in past.
Mass shooting or shooting outside a grocery store, while traumatic events to those nearby, isn't even close to the same situation as being stuck in the middle of a war zone.
You certainly have the right to your opinion, but so do I, and to repeat so you clearly understand mine - a War Zone.
Canuck,
Unfortunately I am not known for my brevity so this may require some patience.
I totally agree with your decision and would encourage you not to put your family or yourself through another possible traumatic situation like that.
I assume by your 'Nam de Plume" that you are from Canada. I have spent many wonderful summer days on the lakes there and have had many business visits. I assume those lakes are still safe, except from bears. We did have one attack our camp one time, but he left and we went back.
You mentioned war zones. We all have had traumatic experiences in our lives. I was born quite prematurely and according to my mother barely made it. Seventy-nine years later I have been in two nasty car accidents caused by teenagers, prior to cellphones. I survived an airplane crash landing in London, Ontario, in which the stewardess jumped up and said, "Well I bet that soiled a bit of laundry, now didn't it?" I survived a bout with colon cancer and a twenty plus year marriage to my first wife. But there is an experience that afterwards was pretty funny, but not at the time.
About 10 years after WWII I was serving in the Army on the Island of Okinawa. My life was pretty bland there until I was put on temporary duty with the MPs. The only thing I can equate my policing abilities would be a comparison to Barney in the old Andy Griffith Show. While the biggest portion of my time was spent in the guard tower at the prison there was a time when I was assigned to jeep patrol duty. Fortunately I was paired with an old time Sargent who knew his was around. We received a call that there was someone shooting a rifle in the village of Shimubuku. We went over and there was nothing going on. We got out of the jeep and out came a very drunk Japanese man with a rifle. We ducked behind the jeep and he started firring. One bullet grazed the hood and zinged past my head. The Sarge noticed a water cistern on the building above him and we started shooting at it. I'm sure I probably hit some poor birds nesting somewhere but Sarge blasted that cistern and the water came pouring down on the guy. He, thinking he was wounded surrendered and we took him off to the station in cuffs. I can tell you, it took a while for my pants to dry after that.
So what's my point? I have known abject fear and can understand your feelings. It is traumatic, but while it may not totally go away, it will dissipate. Now, if you want to know about trauma, look at those men and women who appear on the wounded warrior adds. People were shooting AT them and planting bombs to maim them. I can't imagine what they are going through and it makes our problems all so trivial.
Canuck, I wish you and your family the best. Hug and love your kids and I hope and pray that your family will come through the other side from this all and find comfort in your lives.