When Tragedy Comes to Town

 This time of the year most grammar school-aged children are getting ready for Christmas. They are waiting for St. Nick to make his appearance and leave presents for them under the tree. Their little minds are so full of imagination, so innocent and naive. The Christmas song, "Santa Claus is Coming to Town" is playing in their homes and in their heads. Their little minds can't think of anything else. As of last Friday there were eleven days until Christmas morning. The countdown to wrapping paper being strewn all over living rooms everywhere was on. Kids all over the world love this time of the year. The little boys and girls in Newtown, CT at Sandy Hook Elementary are no different. They are like your kids and mine. Little did they know when some of them left their homes on that fateful Friday morning they would never see their families again. They'd never open another Christmas present. Little did they know the evil, which entered the world more than two thousand years ago in a garden, would rear its ugly and detestable head and steal the innocent and precious of all humanity through a troubled soul. Tragedy doesn't begin to describe the horror which took place.

 I don't pretend to know what these people in Newtown are feeling. What do you do when tragedy comes to your town? I have never experienced something so heinous and deplorable. I have never seen evil like this up close. I hope I never have to. Personally, I don't have ties to the area but some of my family do. These sweet people from this quaint and quiet, tight-knit town of 27,000 people don't need my pity. However, they need my prayers. They need yours too. They need space to grieve and yet they need our support in any way possible. As a parent you grieve for other parents. They are dealing with feelings and emotions no parent should have to consider. I know children were not the only people to die in this massacre. We grieve for all of the lives lost and look to find ways to help the people left behind pick up the pieces and find the healing they so desperately need.

 One of the common reactions when these types of events occur is to start bringing up conversations around gun control. It happened again after the movie theater massacre in Aurora, the shooting at the mall in Oregon and once again it has today. I don't own a gun today and didn't grow up around guns. I did, however, grow up around cars and video games. Just look at the recent tragedy in Dallas when one Cowboys' player killed the other because he got behind the wheel of a car after a night of drinking. The link to video games and violence is astounding. Do an Internet search and you will see what I mean. There is much more going on here than guns ending up in the wrong hands. The moral decay of society is alarming. Furthermore, we have become an over-tolerant society all because we are afraid to offend. The change needs to start in people's hearts. That's what needs our attention. If we want to make a difference we need to go to the heart of people. Unfortunately, evil will continue to exist. Hate may win some battles but love wins in the end. Ironically, Ludacris' namesake and words are not so, well, ludicrous. Love will win in the end and there will be no more tears or pain. Evil will be defeated once and for all!

 One of the other common results of this evil violence is fear. After something of this evil magnitude, any of us could simply lock ourselves in our homes and only come out when we needed food, water or clothing. We could run away and hide. Fear is paralyzing. When we give into it we are accepting defeat. We have chosen not to believe the truth in our hearts. We have chosen to let circumstances rule our lives. Our judgment gets clouded. We lose our focus. We forget the reason for our faith. Living in fear is a choice. We can choose fear or faith. I know it's not easy. I don't pretend to think it is. However, what message would I send my kids if I decided not to send them to school tomorrow? Fear will have won and that's not going to happen. I've already reached out to the administration at my kids' school to see how I can help. I'll get involved and I'll do all I can. My focus is clear. Fear is not an option because evil will not prevail. It has already lost.

 So, how do we move on after evil invades our towns? What can we do as a nation to reach out to our fellow human beings? More importantly, how do all of the people around the country affected by these evil events move forward? Well, inaction is definitely not the solution. I can get involved in my own community. I can start my own non-profit specifically designed to benefit families affected by evil and violence. I can lead prayer vigils. I can start with one kindness act after another. There is a lot I can do but like anything else it's a choice. The assailant, while obviously troubled, made a choice. His choice to display evil for whatever reason has now changed the lives of families and this community forever. How can any of them possibly set foot in THAT Sandy Hook Elementary ever again? That building will always remind them of the horror. We as a nation need to rally behind our fellow citizens in Newtown. We need to help them heal even from afar.

 When evil such as this occurs people ask a lot of questions. They also can allow doubt and anger to creep into their hearts and minds. It's easy to be angry and it's easy not to forgive. If we allow anger and unforgiveness to fester we can become hardened and bitter. Just ask Robert Parker whose daughter Emilie, 6, died in this evil act. He tearfully and poignantly spoke about how much she meant to them. Parker said that his daughter always had something kind to say about everyone. There he was out in front of the media telling the world he wasn't angry. He is an example to us all as was she in how she lived. No one will forget her. Forgiveness is part of the healing process. For some of us it takes much longer. Let us remember all of the people who perished in this unthinkable evil massacre and that means the assailant as well. All of their lives were cut short. Forgiving will be hard. Letting go of anger will be hard. But in order to heal everyone must find their way through this. This time of the year we celebrate the birth of our Savior. He is the answer to all of this evil. Remember, it's about the dash!