Tuesday, December 18, 2012

Mr. J.

Yesterday, as I drove to school, my stomach was upset and my heart was in my throat. In the wake of the Sandy Hook tragedy, I think it's safe to say that every parent has imagined their worst nightmare... hugging their precious child for the last time.

The innocent, smiling faces of the children killed on Friday haunted me as I parked the car, unclipped the car seat, and slid Little Miss to the pavement. My steps wavered as I led her to the door.

We signed in and took a seat in the lobby. We could hear the teachers in the classrooms as they prepared for the day. It would be so easy to pick Little Miss up, walk back out the door, take her home and keep her with me forever.

8:00 came and with the passing of the last minute before school stared, Mr. J. came to greet us. As he saw Little Miss, his face lit up with a smile. His delight was genuine and the affection he has for my daughter came glowing from him -- a spark that quickly burst into flame and warmed the whole room.

In that instant, I felt peace.

Horrible things will happen in this world. It is the nature of our condition. But for each tragedy, there are so many perfect lights of hope. People like Mr. J... Stories like that of Dylan Hockley and his aide Anne Marie Murphy... each reminds us of the people who make a difference in our lives.

Fred Rogers once 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."

In the days following the Sandy Hook tragedy, those words were shared all over the internet. They could not have been more appropriate.

Hug your child close when they leave for school today, and as you do I hope you'll say a prayer of thanks for the helpers -- if not thank them personally. It is because of them that this world is worth living in.



A special thanks to Alysia at Try Defying Gravity for sharing the story of Dylan Hockley and Anne Marie Murphy.

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2 comments:

  1. Look for the carers, its so true. I was on the tube the day of the bombings in london just one train ahead of the one that was bombed and remember how well everyone worked together to help in the best ways they knew how, From people giving strangers lifts and black cabs giving free fares to the way people shared information as it was unfolding and the guys that guided people through the tunnels and out to safety.

    I am so sorry for this tragedy it made me sick watching it on the news ( late at night here in Australia ) and my first thought was of those parents and how they would cope and the surviving children how would they be able to return to school and feel safe.
    xxx

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  2. What a beautiful piece of writing, my friend. We cannot be consumed by the shock and hate and go on with living, true? Every thought I have washes me over with sadness but to survive we have to see the beautiful light like that you have fittingly put in this post. And so we go on, remembering, crying inside and out for senseless acts and hoping for a better future. xo

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