Like many, last week I was happily enjoying my time getting ready for the holidays until late Friday evening, December 14, 2012, when my husband asked if I had heard of the horrible tragedy in Newtown, Connecticut. I spent the majority of that day feeling under the weather and disconnected from the world. I heard vaguely of a shooting that had taken place but I wasn’t aware of any of the details.
Later that night, when I learned of the horrific loss of innocent children and heroic educators, I cried as I read the news. I knew none of the victims personally, but I didn’t need to. I mourn just as many others in our nation and across the world who are trying to make sense of such senseless violence. We mourn for those who lost their lives, for the families and friends of the children and educators who passed, as well as for the survivors who must find a way to heal and overcome the fear and horror of having experienced something so nightmarish.
As a mother of a young child, an aunt to little children and youth, and a friend to several great educators, I feel tremendous loss and sorrow. I feel great loss for all those who senselessly lost their lives, great loss for living in a society where unimaginable horrors are reality. Like many, I feel helpless, and wonder what, if anything, we could do to help those affected in Newtown. I hope and pray they will one day find solace…
Despite my feelings of sorrow, I am proud, however, to live among other citizens who risk their own lives to protect innocent children from harms way. Like many, I also wonder what, if anything I could do to prevent something so tragic from happening in our own neighborhood. What scares me most is that we cannot control the actions of others, we cannot know what will happen on any given day. What I can do, however, is to be grateful. Be grateful for my children, my husband, my parents, my brother, my family, relatives and friends. I will cherish my children, hold them dear to my heart and love them… love them like tomorrow might not exist.
I’ll be counting my blessings this holiday season and praying for all those who have been affected by tragedy.
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