I remember years ago one of my clients in her 60’s had lost a child. She said to me, “There is no greater pain in the world than out living your child.” That stuck with me as a young mother because not a day went by that I didn’t worry for my children’s safety.
When my daughter was born, she was only a week or so old and came down with a terrible virus. She was rushed to the hospital, a myriad of tests were done, but they didn’t know what was wrong. During that time, I would leave the hospital, reluctantly with visions of my daughter going through grade school, Jr. High School, her first prom, graduating high school, and so on. I sobbed at the thought of never being able to see her do those things. Fortunately, after a week, she came home and I h ave been able to witness all of those events and many more. How fortunate I am, how blessed I am.
With the recent shootings of the children in Connecticut, I’m sobbing for the loss of those young, precious lives. I sob for the parents, teachers, aunts, uncles, sisters, brothers, grandparents, neighbors that also mourn the loss of these innocent children. There is absolutely no answer that will ever soften the pain or justify the loss, no answers.
There are tragedies that happen everyday against our children, whether it’s abuse, abandonment, hunger, neglect, but we can’t see it, we don’t hear about it, and it’s not breaking news. This senseless act of mass killings pulls us to attention and we can’t help but listen and wonder, why? This tragedy raises awareness like never before that there is no greater gift to the world than a child. A fabulous quote by Emma Goldman, “No one has yet fully realized the wealth of sympathy, kindness and generosity hidden in the soul of a child. The effort of every true education should be to unlock that treasure.”
I Heard the News
I heard the news, couldn’t catch my breath,
Such senseless acts, untimely deaths
Innocence and love, gone with a shot
My heart aches, families distraught
What pain and questions this act raises
Now only a memory of angelic faces
We yell the question, “How can this be?”
Special lives cut short, this we didn’t see
What can we do? What must change?
These random killings, unbridled rage
I feel so helpless, then anger sets in
We can not let this violence win
Perhaps it’s best to hold our kids tight
Remind them of our love and all that is right
Pray for the families, full of fear
May their ache be lightened , and comfort near
Why things like this happen, I wish I knew
Extending a hand, is the best we can do.
Tonight my prayer will be for the children
The parents, the loved ones that carry this burden.
May the quote below offer solace from pain
May peace at some point fill hearts again. – Nicki Anderson
“When someone you love becomes a memory, the memory
becomes a treasure.” Anonymous
2 responses to “Our Children- Our Greatest Teachers”
Your beautiful poem made me weep. Such a senseless act and such innocence lost. Don’t know if there will ever be any answers to this one.
Still processing this tragedy. Thanks so much for posting.