It's in Loving Memory of the Twenty-Six Thing

Dear America,

this is three days after the Sandy Hook School shooting -- and it's not a good day in America.

Certain unsuspecting things have hit me unusually hard over the last few days.  Texting my girl, all of sixteen, gives pause for an immediate opening of the floodgates, even for the most trivial of things; a simple bowl of popcorn and hot chocolate, with the opening music of The Polar Express in the background, instigates a major assault on my emotions.   How can any parent continue to breathe after evil has torn them into a million jagged pieces?

The innocence lost is a long list of 20 children and six adults --

Daniel Barden, birthday September 25, 2005

Rachel Davino, birthday July 17, 1983

Behavioral Therapist

Olivia Engel, birthday July 18, 2006

Josephine Gay, birthday December 11, 2005

Ana Marquez-Greene, birthday April 4, 2006

Dylan Hockley, birthday March 8, 2006

Dawn Hochsprung, birthday June 28, 1965

Principal

Madeleine Hsu, birthday July 10, 2006

Catherine Hubbard, birthday June 8, 2006

Chase Kowalski, birthday October 31, 2005

Jesse Lewis, birthday June 30, 2006

James Mattioli, birthday March 22, 2006

Grace McDonnell, birthday November 4, 2005

Anne Marie Murphy, birthday July 25, 1960

Emilie Parker, birthday May 12, 2006

Jack Pinto, birthday May 6, 2006

Noah Pozner, birthday November 20, 2006

Caroline Previdi, birthday September 7, 2006

Jessica Rekos, May 10, 2006

Arielle Richman, birthday October 17, 2006

Lauren Rousseau, birthday June 1982

teacher

Mary Sherlach, birthday February 11, 1956

Victoria Soto, birthday November 4, 1985

teacher

Benjamin Wheeler, birthday September 12, 2006

Allison N. Wyatt, birthday July 3, 2006

and 

Charlotte Bacon, birthday February 22, 2006...

"They were supposed to be for the holidays, 

but finally on Friday, 

after hearing much begging, 

Charlotte Bacon's mother relented 

and let her wear the new pink dress 

and boots to school."

For the full story -- releasing each name, along with a short, personal introduction of somebody's baby, go here.

As expected, there is much to say...too much.

 

But today, we refrain from all of it.  The only thing we will do today is pray, hold each family in our hearts, love our own with all our might, and take with us a certain mindfulness of the loss of life and innocence.

We have a hole so deep, the bottom is not to be seen.

Let us do everything in our own power to 

make this a Good Day, G

 

..and forgive me, let me also leave you with this --

In nearly everything under the sun, we aim to mend from the wrong end.