Sandy Hook

The violent shootings of 26 innocent lives happened a week ago today, and honestly, it has taken me that long to actually write about this.  I haven't really known what to say.  When it happened, I watched it on the news all day in horror, and I cried for those parents who lost their little ones.  I then became very emotional when looking at my own children and wondered how someone could hurt a child.  To look into their eyes and actually hurt them is inconceivable to me.  Because of that feeling, I know that no one in their right frame of mind could have done this.

I grew up in a home with guns.  Both Mitch and I knew that our Dad, grandparents, and family members had guns.  My dad hunted, and had / still has guns for protection.  My Grandpa was an avid gun collector of riffles, hand guns and semi-automatic weapons from the first and second world wars.  I knew what guns were, but my dad never let us touch them, we never shot them, they were always locked up and never loaded.  To this day, I have never shot a gun with my dad, nor have I ever had the desire.  It wasn't something that was ever glorified in our family.  Yes, my family had guns, but they were and still are very responsible with them. 

I do believe that people should be able to have guns, it is our right as citizens, but I also believe that people need to be responsible for them.  It was a tragic scene last week, but I believe that it could have been prevented.

What is the answer??  That is what we are all asking... Take away guns completely?  Supply more guns to security in our schools?  More guns, less guns, no guns... I don't know how this will pan out, but I do know that we will never get rid of guns, so it is time to educate, be responsible, and to preserve the innocence of our children, and the safety of adults.  My dad would be an excellent instructor on gun safety... I might help him realize that he has some really helpful and needed knowledge that is worth sharing.  :)

As I morn the loss of those 20 children, and the faculty that saved so many others, I hold my little ones tight.  I thank God for them every day and it reminds me that I might never know when I will see them again.  I will always kiss and hug them goodbye, I will always tell them that I love them, and they will never let them leave my house with anything left unresolved.  I would hate that hanging over my head if something ever happened to them.  I will do everything that I can to protect them and to make them feel safe.  They are my children, and they deserve that.

As for the shooter, I will never say that man's name.  I do not believe that he deserves that recognition.  I will simply say that I my heart breaks for his surviving family members.  I can't imagine the hurt and shame that they feel. 

I heard a line in a movie once that has always stuck with me... " without suffering, there would be no compassion...tell that to those who suffer"  I think of that line now, from A Walk To Remember.  It is true, but it makes my heart ache.