I felt it important as a mom, who closely follows the news (not just politics), put my thoughts down about the tragic shooting in Connecticut. 20 children and 7 adults. Yes, there are 27 victims. (The shooters mother should be included in that number.) As we are learning more of the "how" this horrific event unfolded, the "why" is being over-simplified and compartmentalized.
Are guns to blame? Was it mental illness? Was it bullying? Is our infammy obssessed society to blame? Was it his parents divorce? Or an overly "strict" mom?
It must be obvious to most people who aren't trying to write a headline, or push legislation through on the back of a dark moment in our nations history, that no matter how many laws are passed, mental health professionals available to help, perfect parents or school system, bad things happen. Horrible, unimaginable, evil things happen. Sandy Hook proves this.
Newtown, Connecticut is a calm, quiet, small community. Sandy Hook Elementary is a highly praised school. The principle instituted new safety mechanisms and protocol. Teachers knew the drills. Students behaved beautifully. And the sociopathic, deeply disturbed young man was still able to fulfill his objective.
So what are we supposed to do? Friday afternoon, this realization that bad things will happen regardless, crept in and haunted me. I felt helpless. Defenseless. Vulnerable. Sick with worry for my kids. Then I happened upon a Mister Rogers quote, that was being mass circulated on all forms of social media. It reminded me of why I have hope. He said,
"When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, ‘Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.’ To this day, especially in times of ‘disaster,’ I remember my mother’s words, and I am always comforted by realizing that there are still so many helpers - so many caring people in this world.”
The Helpers are the majority. We are still the majority. Although one man brought such devastation in such a tiny part of the world, hundreds of millions of good caring people worldwide want to help. We help by supporting our local schools, and our amazing teachers. We help by getting to know our neighbors and strengthening the community bond. We help by teaching our kids that there is a right and wrong, and good and evil. We help by establishing and maintaining consequences. We help by making mental illness not taboo and encouraging professional help. We help by turning off the tv and opening a book. We help by recognizing our own weaknesses first, and then improving ourselves in order to strengthen others. We help by extending forgiveness. We help by being more patient. We help by praying for those lost, and especially for those who are left.
