As I pondered what to write for my entries this week, I had several ideas, especially with the holidays approaching.
But all of that went out the window the moment I heard of the unspeakable tragedy that occurred in Connecticut--26 innocent people who won't be around to see the holidays, sensely taken before their time.
When I read about the school shootings, as a parent, I fought every urge not to drive directly to my kids' school just to hug them as hard as I could. I'm sure I'm not the only one, and maybe many parents did just that.
It's impossible to try to reason or make sense of this violent act. I've read words of wisdom from leaders in the community and struggled with how to handle discussing this with our children. How can we expect them to comprehend something so awful if we, as adults, can't? I didn't want to scare my kids or put unnecessary thoughts in their heads, but I know that they will hear about it at school. We allowed them to watch some of the news coverage and had a discussion where they could ask any questions they wanted.
As the weekend winds to a close, the start of a new school week begins. I am certain that the thought in every parent's mind is the safety of our kids as they enter into their school and start their Monday. How do we let them go without some reluctance?
There is no good way to write about such a situation. I want my kids to have a carefree, idyllic childhood. I will do anything I can to try to see that they do, including sending them to a school they love. I will hug them extra hard on Monday as I drop them off, and I may arrive extra early to greet them as they are dismissed.
As a mother, I will keep the families of Connecticut in my thoughts and prayers and hope that they know they have a nation of parents who are grieving with them. They are not alone, and they will never be forgotten.
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