Honoring Newtown, CT

Unimaginable horror. I don't even know what to say about what happened in Newtown, CT yet it's all I can think about. I can't stop thinking about how horrible a tragedy it is and how unbelievably sad those families must be today. Christmas presents for those kids are sitting under Christmas trees. Their coats still hanging from the hooks. Images and thoughts that bring about the deepest meanings of sadness and brokenness. What can I do to help? I've racked my brain thinking of something to do that could actually help those families. I decided that one thing I could do is to just show my unflinching support for the victims, their families, and the survivors by changing my website and voicing my support to whoever reads this and follows my blog. For this week, my website will be a dedication to Sandy Hook E.S. and to show that I am mourning with them. It seems the word "sad" is not a strong enough word to capture the emotions felt by those who live in Newtown. My heart broke when I heard what happened. I have this overwhelming sense of sadness and I'm hundreds of miles away from where it actually happened. I can't comprehend what things must be like in Newtown today. How does a person, a family move on? For me, my sadness stems from the fact that I am a teacher who goes to school everyday. I think about the fact that the teaching profession lost 6 amazing adults, adults who gave their lives to protect children. My heart breaks as a father of a 7 year old, the age most of the kids were who died, when I think about those moms and dads who will never get to hold their child again. I hug my daughters tighter, more often as Newtown showed us just how fragile and unpredictable life can be. Each morning, when we wake up, I think we should have a new found sense of thankfulness and appreciate what we have. I think we should tell our loved ones how we feel more often, show more compassion. I think we need to stop taking things for granted. I think we should think about Newtown, CT and send our thoughts and prayers to those families.