All You Can Do Is Love Them

Yesterday, when the news first announced the terrible tragedy unfolding in Connecticut, I am not ashamed to admit, I cried.

I cried for the fear and uncertainty the kids and teachers at the school must have suffered.

I cried for the first responders whose duty to secure the building came first over the emotions they must have felt seeing the devastation at a school their kids likely attended.

I cried for the heart wrenching terror of the parents who had to sit and wait.

I cried for the parents who's children came out that day.

And I cried for the parents and families who's children didn't.

I cried for my son, who is the same age as many of the 20 children who didn't come home -  knowing how easily it could have been him.

I cried when the president spoke and was moved not only by his own reactions and obvious heartbreak, but also by his words.. "Their children are our children."

And then?  I prayed.  I prayed for all the families, the community, the first responders and the souls of the lost.  And when my kids came home, I hugged them.  ALL of them.  LW and GG came home first and I cried with them, and told them they couldn't ever leave the house again.  And they smiled and were indulgent even though we all knew that wasn't possible.  And then Bug and Bunny came home and I hugged them, and told them I loved them and snuggled with them.

 I send my kids to good schools.  But so did those parents.  I teach them about safety tips and who to trust and who to go to if they need help and I'm sure those kids were taught the same.  My school has safety protocols and so did that school.   The harsh and cruel reality is, those parents, that school, the community did everything right, and it still wasn't enough.  I think that's the part I'm having the most trouble with.  This is a crazy mixed up world we live in people.  And no matter how hard you try, you can't protect your children from everything.

All I can say is the best thing you can do is love your kids.  Tell them every day even if you think they know it.  Even when they're older and it embarrasses them.  Tell them, show them, make them feel every day how much they mean to you.  Because even when you do everything right, bad things can happen.  And the only consolation you can feel is knowing that your friends, family, children knew they were loved every second of every minute of their life.

Seriously.. Thoughts?