Friday, December 14, 2012

To Parents

OST and I are parents. I know I've been touched by the tragedy in Connecticut and I just have to take a second to pour my heart out to the 20 mothers and 20 fathers and 40 grandfathers and 40 grandmothers and countless aunts, uncles, cousins, brothers and sisters who all lost the most precious thing in the world today; a child.

Take time to be a parent today. Pick your child up and kiss and hug them. And if you dont have children call your parents and tell them you love them.

Out hearts go out to today.

9 comments:

  1. I like this post a lot. When I read the story this morning I had to run in the other room snatch my kid up and give him the hugest bear hug ever. I can't even imagine what these parents are going through...

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  2. I can't agree more also as a parent. Further more I can't comprehend why you would ever do anything to children like this.

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  3. It's really the worst thing I could ever imagine. As a parent, you just can't protect your children 24 hours a day. You have to send them off to school and you trust in their safety, you really have to. When something like this happens, the violation ripples out beyond the devastation left with the community and families. It echoes out and leaves a stain on all of us who will now wonder about our children even more throughout the day, who will trust others just a little less and will now bear even more worry than the usual.

    My mind can't linger long though from those families. If you have a faith then pray for them, if not spare them some of your time just to reflect on that pain and hope somehow they can maintain and take care of themselves or their surviving children if they have some. I cannot imagine what one tenth of that horror must feel like and I hope I never do and that nobody else will, though that may be a bridge too far.

    -Lukas "TJ" Atwell, father of three

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  4. I have been blocking the thoughts from my mind all day. My boy turns two in two days and just opening my ears to the news feeds turns my stomach. There is no reason in the universe for something like this, no understanding it, no way to adapt to it. I cannot fathom what they must be going through -- in fact, i refuse to. My heart can't take even trying to empathize. I can only acknowledge the tragedy as a physical event and give my deepest condolences with my eyes and ears closed, lest I be consumed by it too.

    And as OST said, you have to continue to send your kids to school and day care and just realize that this one bizarre and pointless and tragic event happened in a world where a billion kids a day do come home from school everyday. There's no way to know something like this could happen. You can't shut down life and lock your kids in a bomb shelter, you just have to go on and trust that something so senseless has no reason to happen again.

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    1. I feel the same as J.D. Brink. Call it faith or call it denial, but believing that "it won't happen to me" is really the only way that we can function in a world where tragedies happen without warning.
      I have two girls, 5 and 8. I can only hope that something like this doesn't happen to them and that we as a society can find a way to identify people like this and help them before they become dangerous. Our current system of waiting until they screw up then throw them in jail is unfair to them and unfair to the victims of crimes that should have been prevented.

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  5. Well said, Chris, and everyone. I think I've walked into my son's room over a dozen times since he's gone to bed...and I still can't sleep because I don't want stop looking in on him. Is it rational? No. He'll be there in the morning.

    But this isn't about rational, it's about wanting every second with him possible right now, and my heart breaking for each parent who have lost their child in this tragedy. I'm a man of faith, and have been in prayer alone, with my peers and most importantly, even my own son prayed for the boys and girls in CT tonight, with my help. He didn't know what happened exactly, he'll only be 5 in January, but. I told him a lot of little boys and girls wouldn't be going home to their parents anymore. His response?

    "Daddy, won't their parents be sad? Can we pray for them too?"

    Whatever your beliefs, listen to TJ's words above and give some respect to the parents and families involved. Don't make this about one agenda or another, faith or political, or whatever your soapbox may be. Tis isn't about that, it's about them.

    - Tim, Father of one precious boy.

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  6. My thoughts and prayers go out to those suffering from such a traumatic loss. I've buried my fair share of loved ones. I truly believe that those who go before us stand with us lending their strength of spirit when we need it most. Now, if you'll excuse me I'm late for a fairy princess dance party with my perfect little girl of 3...

    Everyday is gift,
    Neil Szabo

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  7. I am deeply saddened by the events in CT and also deeply angered that trolls can find something to say here as well. Or bots. Hopefully that gets removed soon. Have some respect

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