My thoughts on Newtown
It just doesn't seem real.
Twenty first graders dead. Shot multiple times.Educators giving their lives to protect their students.
In less than 10 minutes, hundreds if not thousands of lives were changed.
But it is real. It isn't going to fall out of our collective consciousness, ever. Just like Aurora, Virginia Tech, Columbine, Kent State.
And everyone wants to know why. "Why? Why? 26 dead in school shooting" was a crawl on CNN. Does it matter why? Will that help us stop it from happening again? I don't think so. We haven't been able to stop it yet.
What do we need? Fortified schools? Gun control? Better mental health care? God?
Here's what I think. I think we need a true change in the human spirit. All of the people who have reached out to those affected by this tragedy, prayed for the families ... would they do the same to a homeless person in their town? a family who needs help with Christmas dinner? that weird kid with no friends walking down the street? Would they do it if they didn't get recognized for it?
Posting on Facebook doesn't make you a good person and it sure as heck doesn't help anyone. Why don't we all...ALL... stop looking at Newtown and start looking at ourselves? Newtown needs help, but they will make it through. Watching CNN and posting on Facebook makes YOU feel good. Not them.
Don't get me wrong. I've prayed for those families. I stayed glued to CNN for hours. I'm not claiming to be perfect. But I think I have some insight. At least something that might make a few of you think, for a moment.
Lots of people have said this tragedy has helped them to remember their blessings, has made them hug their own children tighter at night. Why do we need a tragedy for that to happen? Why can't we wake up every morning with a loving heart and a will to do good toward others? Why do we need Christmas to have a spirit of giving? Why aren't we thankful every second of every day for the things we have?
Why did this happen? Because our hearts and minds are not in a constant state of love for our fellow man. Because someone didn't help a hurting human soul. Could someone have stopped the shooter? I don't know. I don't play the "what if" game. But I know this world will not get any better until WE get better at loving each other.
And we had better start now.
Twenty first graders dead. Shot multiple times.Educators giving their lives to protect their students.
In less than 10 minutes, hundreds if not thousands of lives were changed.
But it is real. It isn't going to fall out of our collective consciousness, ever. Just like Aurora, Virginia Tech, Columbine, Kent State.
And everyone wants to know why. "Why? Why? 26 dead in school shooting" was a crawl on CNN. Does it matter why? Will that help us stop it from happening again? I don't think so. We haven't been able to stop it yet.
What do we need? Fortified schools? Gun control? Better mental health care? God?
Here's what I think. I think we need a true change in the human spirit. All of the people who have reached out to those affected by this tragedy, prayed for the families ... would they do the same to a homeless person in their town? a family who needs help with Christmas dinner? that weird kid with no friends walking down the street? Would they do it if they didn't get recognized for it?
Posting on Facebook doesn't make you a good person and it sure as heck doesn't help anyone. Why don't we all...ALL... stop looking at Newtown and start looking at ourselves? Newtown needs help, but they will make it through. Watching CNN and posting on Facebook makes YOU feel good. Not them.
Don't get me wrong. I've prayed for those families. I stayed glued to CNN for hours. I'm not claiming to be perfect. But I think I have some insight. At least something that might make a few of you think, for a moment.
Lots of people have said this tragedy has helped them to remember their blessings, has made them hug their own children tighter at night. Why do we need a tragedy for that to happen? Why can't we wake up every morning with a loving heart and a will to do good toward others? Why do we need Christmas to have a spirit of giving? Why aren't we thankful every second of every day for the things we have?
Why did this happen? Because our hearts and minds are not in a constant state of love for our fellow man. Because someone didn't help a hurting human soul. Could someone have stopped the shooter? I don't know. I don't play the "what if" game. But I know this world will not get any better until WE get better at loving each other.
And we had better start now.
Labels: musings
posted by Tonya at
5:45 PM
My 
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]
<< Home