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My husband and I watched 60 Minutes last night, at least the part about the Newton school shootings. We're not big TV/news watchers, but he wanted to talk about the tragedy, be informed about it, and deal with our emotions over the tragedy. Why? Because we have to. In my world, I would rather sweep it under the rug. But I can't. I work at a school and see hundreds of children a day. Both my sister-in-laws and my mother-in-law are elementary school teachers, two of them teaching first grade. I am just heartbroken, as we all are. I don't want to engaged in any sensationalism. I don't want to post anything on FB about how if we had gun control or if we had prayer in schools or if we didn't have gun control...I just want to think about and pray for these families.
Not only is this a horrible tragedy, but it's a horrible tragedy near Christmas. On my drive to work this morning, I thought about all the presents the parents of the victims had already bought for them. I thought about how these parents would now have to deal with loss and even worse, the memories of what could have been or what was planned to be. That's how my mind works, focusing on little details that would break my heart. I don't know how you grieve the loss of an innocent child. Not that the principal and teachers deserve any less grief. All were innocent. I think we have a harder time understanding the deaths of children than we do of adults, but that doesn't make one any less tragic than the other.
Sparky and I had no words. We had no real discussion about the situation--I don't think words were needed. I am sad that I am bringing Daniel (he deserves a name in this discussion) into a world where tragedies like this happen and that I won't be able to protect him from these things. But this doesn't change the fact that I will be the best mother I can to him and try to protect him from the things that I can.
Unfortunately, my school is not only dealing with this tragedy but with another tragedy as well. We had a third grade girl pass away Saturday morning from complications of the flu. A little eight year old girl. I didn't know her, but I grieve for her family now as well, and for her little classmates who are so young, and too young to truly understand all of this.
Stuff
14 hours ago
1 comment:
You said it so well. It's a tragedy and there are no words. It's unimaginable what those parents are going through, and yet I still try to imagine every detail of their grief. Like, you said, the Christmas presents already purchased. And what it must have been like to wake up on Saturday morning without their child. And how do you explain this if you have other children who just lost a bro/sis? And think of those parents who struggled for years to have a child, only to have them taken away in this horrific way. It's just unthinkable.
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