The Devastation of Loss/The Need For Change

I heard the news yesterday about the school shooting and as a mother, grandmother and teacher it has made my heart and soul ache. I have lost love ones in my life but none have been to tragedy and while the pain was immense it cannot begin to touch the pain that these parents must feel at the loss of their children. That would be a parent's worst moment. I know they are grief stricken, angry, and stunned. We whom have not lost a child cannot begin to understand how they feel.

I have beautiful daughters, three beautiful grandchildren and every school day I look at the faces of fifty-four beautiful children in my three classes. I am so fortunate to know each and every one of these children. I am so blessed to be able to be a part of their lives, so glad that my own chose me as their mother. I would be crushed if something happened to any of them.

I have encountered children whom have lost a parent or another loved one to violent acts. I have encountered children whose parent has committed the violent act and is in prison. There are children with divorced parents, parents that want no part of their lives, and children afraid to go home for fear of their home being shot up. These children hurt. The pain is great in their hearts and they act out because they do not know how to handle it. We adults need to pay attention to our children. We need to talk with them, hold them, notice changes in them before they are lost. We also need to do that for our co-workers, friends, acquaintances and family so that they can get help before it is too late.

Wouldn't it be AMAZING if we could begin to change all of this?

As a nation, I know we feel outraged, angry and we demand that action be taken for what happened in Connecticut. People will want answers and demand them and they should. People will want to take things into their own hands and they shouldn't. We need to pray for the families who lost children, who lost loved ones. We need to collectively work on change. Prayer and mediation are where we need to begin.

Humanity needs to become humane. Not just some of us, but all of us. Not just the rich, but also the poor and the middle class. We need to quit focusing on violence, hatred and fear of each other. Show respect. Show love. Harm none. We need to understand that we are all ONE. We are humanity, we are one race, one collective body, one with Earth, One with our Creator and capable of making great changes.  We must change and change now for if we do not we will eventually destroy ourselves and our planet. We cannot and should not let that happen. We are powerful beings, capable of making intelligent, important decisions and so very,very capable of love.

Feel love for one another instead of fear and join together to make better communities. Race and religion are boundaries created by humans. If we created these boundaries we can undo them. Our Creator made differences in people, not to create fear but to teach us to come together and experience one another. When you really think about it, deep down we are not different inside. We love, we think and we have needs in order to survive.

Remember to LOVE ONE ANOTHER!

"Be the Change you wish to see." ~ Mahatma Gandhi