I had a different post planned for today, but after the awful school shooting in Newtown, Connecticut, I felt the need to change it up.
A shooting at a movie theater, a mall, or a school leaves our nation shocked and sad. And when children are involved? It's even worse. As a parent, I pray with my children every day before school, hoping they'll be okay. My mom did that with me as a child, and it gave me a sense of peace. Try as we might, we can't predict everything that will happen.
We read and write books about tragic events, but when reality out-horrors fiction, it's shocking. Parents, communities, and a nation will grieve. There's no sense to it all, but I'm hoping theses quotes about grief will help anyone who's suffering:
"Grieving is a necessary passage and a difficult transition to finally letting go of sorrow--it is not a permanent rest stop." --Dodinsky
"There are things that we don't want to happen but have to accept, things we don't want to know but have to learn, and people we can't live without but have to let go." -- Author Unknown
"In the night of death, hope sees a star, and listening love can hear the rustle of a wing." --Robert Ingersoll
"Death leaves a heartache no one can heal, love leaves a memory no one can steal." --From a headstone in Ireland
"Give sorrow words; the grief that does not speak whispers the o'er-fraught heart and bids it break." --William Shakespeare
My heart breaks for anyone going through such an awful tragedy. Do you know someone who was affected by the recent mall shooting in Oregon or the school shooting in Connecticut? Have you ever grieved for someone you loved dearly? If you feel comfortable enough, please share your story.
photo credit
There's no making sense of it. It's proof the devil really exists though.
ReplyDeleteAlex, I totally agree. I can't wrap my head around it.
DeleteI shed several tears yesterday Julie. Just awful for everyone. If you've ever loved a child (your own or others) it just rips your heart out. Those poor parents, brothers & sisters, grandparents ... they've lost their worlds in a few minutes of random violence to somebody they probably don't even know. Just impossible to grasp their pain.
ReplyDeleteEJ, I tried putting myself in their shoes, and I couldn't even do that. Too painful.
DeleteI linked to your post today because you said everything I couldn't.
ReplyDeleteCatherine, that's so sweet. Thank you.
DeleteSo few people have made mention of the Newton tragedy on their blogs today, which has shocked me to the core.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you did.
Wendy, sometimes I just feel the need to chat with you all about stuff. This is one of those times.
DeleteThanks for changing up your post, Julie. I was very busy at work yesterday and had not had time enough to check my iPhone as often as I usually would. It wasn't until I received a text from my 18 year old that I discovered what had happened...
ReplyDeleteHe sent me the following text after I told him I had heard about it: "We live in a [expletive deleted] up world and we don't deserve to be saved by Grace. Every single one of us deserves damnation." He rarely swears (in front of me), but I totally understood what he was feeling and simply let it go. He is a strong kid, but was really hurting over what he had seen... So very sad.
-Jimmy
Jimmy, your son obviously has a big heart and was shaken by the tragedy.
DeleteJulie, this is beyond sad. Tears cannot show the depth of emotion and heartbreak. Trying to understand why a sick mind did this is futile. But for that young man to kill his mother and then go to school and kill her "other" children, I can only speculate his motive. I am not a proponent of guns... and this is one case that shows why they are not a good idea in a home with access available to the young and mentally disturbed.
ReplyDeleteWe cannot undue this pain. I only hope we can make sure it won't happen again.
My prayers are sent to the families involved.
My heart aches and I cannot imagine... what if.
Karlene, I can't get those children out of my mind. Yesterday, when they released the names, the age next to each name broke my heart.
DeleteIt's beyond comprehension, this sort of thing. I too got teary-eyed yesterday as I read the Sunday paper in my town - just the images alone were bad enough. I couldn't even bring myself to read the story.
ReplyDeleteTrisha, I know what you mean. Last night I finally turned off the news, and watched "Love Actually."
DeleteIt was so terrible, and something that hit every parent at the core. My heart is with everyone down in Connecticut right now. I can't imagine the grief they are facing.
ReplyDeleteAngela, I truly hope that small town knows how much we are all grieving with them.
DeleteI'm having a really hard time shaking this... it's just so... beyond horrible. And it really shakes me because this is the age of my own kids. I have lost a child and then have them come back through CPR, and it's something that still affects me today--so I'm not sure how anyone overcomes *this* trial. I'm just... finding myself completely solemn, and unable to get the horrific events out of my mind.
ReplyDeleteMy goodness, Morgan. Your child came back through CPR? Holy cow. That's something you definitely don't ever forget.
DeleteVery sweet and heartfelt post.
ReplyDeleteHeather
I can't even wrap my head around this it is so devastating. As a teacher, I know I would do everything in my power to save my students. My heart and prayers are with the families of Sandy Hook.
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