Hope

Since Friday I have been trying to write a post about the tragedy in Newtown, and I have struggled to find the right words in the midst of my emotions.

Perhaps it's because I'm a mother....or perhaps it's because I'm a former teacher.  Nonetheless, this event has had a profound impact on me.  I feel a sense of sorrow that I haven't felt in a long time.

My heart breaks for the parents of the children who were victims.  I cannot even fathom their pain.  Their holiday season will forever be clouded by this terrible tragedy. 

My heart also breaks for the children and teachers who will never again feel safe in their classrooms.

Having taught in a violent neighborhood for several years, I know first-hand the importance of safety in schools.  What many don't realize is that safety is a necessity for children to learn.  If children feel unsafe, their brains are stuck in "fight or flight' mode making it impossible for them to concentrate or retain information.  Thus, safety is essential, and as far I'm concerned, non-negotiable.  Every school I worked in had metal detectors and security guards.  It's certainly not fool proof.  If someone really wanted to get in, he or she could, but at least its a start, a first line of defense and perhaps enough to deter someone. 

I also believe that we need to improve our systems for supporting mental health in this country.  I have known far too many troubled youth who simply aren't getting the help that they so desperately need.  It's time that we face this uncomfortable reality.

I have stopped trying to make sense of this horrific event.  I have stopped watching the news and instead, I'm trying to maintain my sense of hope....hope that the world we live in is still beautiful and good.  When we turn on the news, we hear of all of the bad things happening.  I often have to remind myself that wonderful, kind things are happening too.  Sometimes I wish there were a news channel that only presented stories of hope and kindness....offering us a daily reminder that the world truly isn't a terrible place.  

Unfortunately, each of these tragedies works to perpetuate a culture of fear.  Instead, I want to perpetuate a culture of hope.  I choose to believe that the world is still good and wonderful and that there are places where kindness prevails.  

And maybe, just maybe, my small acts of kindness can make a difference, and I believe that collectively, we have the power to perpetuate a culture of hope and goodness.  So today, as I continue to pray for the families in Newtown, I am also making a promise to be kinder and more hopeful each and every day.  Even if its just a smile, or holding a door for a stranger, I want to play my part in truly making this world a better, kinder place.  

I do this because my child, our children, deserve to know what hopefulness and kindness feels like.