I’ve not read the actual news report. I’ve not seen the pictures. I don’t need to. I feel what has happened through friends and family face book posts, have seen it today in the heavy footsteps and sad eyes of people on my walk to the post office box. There is a corporate grief that transcends nations, language, religion, and political views. We all agree that innocent children should be safe. We all agree our own children, the children in another state or another country – ALL children – should be safe, held, and loved.
I wonder if this worldwide sense of loss, combined with the love and prayer sent to those grieving, and the worldwide solidarity and intention to stand up against senseless violence …I wonder if this will be like a worldwide breathing out of the past that no longer serves us? And with the worldwide breathing out of our toxic old air, that we may breathe in the fresh air of a better way?
I also wonder if this worldwide witnessing, this deep corporate grieving, will help heal other ‘innocents’ who’ve been wounded (many unwitnessed and therefore unable to grieve) by those with ‘big guns’: Children molested/raped by trusted adults; Elders whose lifelong pensions disappeared with the keystroke of a greedy broker system; Subsistence farmers and native people killed or chased off their land for monetary gain and power of greed.
May we stop and listen to our grief. May we process it into Love and action to hold our selves and our peers accountable to create a safe and healthy place for ALL. And may we hold our children – and the child inside us all – ever closer.
Better Ideas Now 
Thanks, Kathleen. I’ll look for your article forward from Bill. Thank you for your passion and your willlingness to speak truth.
Barb, I have written a “My Turn” titled, “Shooting School Children” column for the Coeur d’ Alene, ID paper about violence in this country’s schools, malls, places of worship, you name it, as you know all too well. I will have Bill forward it to you so that you can read it as well. My heart is so heavy and saddened for the families of that small community and I am so angry with the Powers that Be in Washington, D.C. who refuse to do anything about it, namely Congress. Everyone of them should be sitting down at a mandatory meeting and saying to one another and to this country, “Enough is Enough.” But getting them off their fannies to do it is another story. Will have him send my article on to you this evening.
Kathy