We CAN
By Laura Bradford
It was exactly a week ago today, that evil preyed on Newtown, Connecticut. And not a day has gone by since then that I haven't cried.
I know Newtown. I grew up in the next town over. I've driven those streets, passed that school, turned "right at the flag pole." But more than that, I'm a mom and I'm a human being--two things you can't be and not hurt deep inside for what those children went through, what their parents and siblings must grapple with for the rest of their lives.
Like Maggie said on Wednesday, I guess what I'm struggling with is the why. This wasn't a country with something to prove, or a person with an ax to grind. How could it be when twenty of the victims were first graders?
First graders.
Just the thought of those precious little innocents brings the tears all over again. And with the tears comes the overwhelming feeling of helplessness. After all, in a hurricane or other natural disaster, you can send food and clothes. But for something like this? What can you really do? What can you do to erase this kind of hurt?
Nothing.
Two days ago, I finally reached out (via email) to a pastor from my old church in St. Charles, MO. I guess I needed the comfort he's so good at giving. I needed to hear something that I could hold onto other than despair.
He did not disappoint.
He, too, knows there is nothing we can truly do to take the pain from these families. But he said something that I've held onto since I read his email. He said, "For now, we wait, we trust, we hope…and we do whatever we CAN do to make a little bit of earth more like a little bit of heaven."
A little bit of earth more like a little bit of heaven.
I like that. Because no matter what your religious beliefs, I'm quite sure we can all agree this world needs to be better.
No one person can change the world, but each and every person can change their corner of it with a little bit of determination and heart. I know I'm sure going to try.
In the meantime, I wish a very Merry Christmas to those who celebrate, and a blessed 2013 to all. We can change things. We can make this world better...one small step at a time.
~Laura
Well said, Laura; thank you.
ReplyDeleteMerry Christmas to you and yours, and we will all pray for sanity to reign over the craziness going forward.
Thank you Laura for a wonderful post. Today at our office, we're going to make snowflakes for the children. Sad to say that my co-worker's son was at the school (he survived).
ReplyDeleteMerry Christmas and Happy New Year to you and your loved ones. And here's to that better world!
ReplyDeleteI think that you said it so perfectly, Laura. Thank you and Merry Christmas!
ReplyDeleteSuch incredible sadness for everyone. I don't know who to pray for first: the families who lost a child, the first responders, the people who have to carry on, who actually survived. The loss is overwhelming. Thank you for this beautiful post. Maggie
ReplyDeleteWell said, Laura.
ReplyDeleteThe loss was so sad..
Laura, thank you for this beautiful, hopeful post. Happiest of holidays to all of my Stiletto Gang friends.
ReplyDeleteI absolutely agree - there is hope - thank you for writing as you did.
ReplyDeleteThank you for this. It is a worthy dream to make a little bit of earth a little bit more like heaven, and one we can work on every day. Happy holidays, and a good New Year.
ReplyDeleteThank you. Very healing to have some thing. Any thing. However small. To hold. To hope. xo
ReplyDeleteIf anything I said today, helped any of you out of a similiar place, I'm glad. The tears have still come today, but they are more from sadness than helplessness. A step in the right direction, I guess.
ReplyDeleteI felt the same way as all of you have described and then I read Ann Curry's FB post about what we can do to help. She suggested performing 20/26 acts of kindness to honor those who died. I'm working through my list and have encouraged others to do the same. I found out that 2 of the boys were cub scouts and my son's scout troop had planned to help with community service project so silently we served others in need and honored the 2 cub scouts.
ReplyDelete