Today, December 14, 2012, will be a date forever remembered. It will not be remembered as a day of eager anticipation for the holidays but as the day Newtown, Connecticut and the rest of the world lost 20 innocent young children in a senseless killing spree.
Policemen, teachers, students and parents alike are all devastated by the tragedy that occurred at Sandy Hook Elementary School. You can read details of this horrific event on ABCNews
These twenty children, all too young to have journeyed through the many experiences of life, will be more than missed…they will be mourned. Yet, we must remember that while they have been taken from this earth their lives should be celebrated for they have provided great joy to those who loved them.
There will be many people who are angry and they will call on revenge but what more revenge can be done that has not already occurred? Isn’t the need to react emotionally one of the reasons this heinous crime initiated in the first place? When will we realize that we, as a society, have fed this aggressive behavior. We are the first ones to seek vengeance yet after expressing confusion as to “what is wrong with people”. We are what’s wrong with people. We quote biblical texts of love and forgiveness only to be followed by words of bitterness and hate. We are willing to forgive the sin so long as we obliterate the sinner.
Actions of prevention, not of vengeance, are the necessary steps toward healing. There is nothing the families of these twenty innocent children and six adults can do to reclaim the lives of those lost. There is no man hunt and no acts of revenge…they must simply “move on”. They will be angry, they will deny, they will grieve and then they will accept. As difficult as it may be, and yes, there will always be a piece of them missing, they will get through this. So, rather than add fuel to an enraging fire, let us celebrate these beautiful children and the adults that lost their lives today because that’s what really matters.
And as a closing note, let us remember to never take those we love for granted. Let us kiss a little longer, hug a little longer, listen a little better but above all, love without limits. Be blessed my friends and shine brightly for all of the world to see!
