A Prayer for Strength

I woke up this morning to two little feet pushed into my back and a the faint sound of a little boy snoring. My two year old son had come into my room after he heard his daddy leave for work. I smiled and rolled over, basking in the warmth of my son's unconditional love.
Before I knew it, all I could think about were those parents in Connecticut whose babies' lives were stolen yesterday. I can only imagine what they're going through and it is beyond heartbreaking, beyond painful, beyond words.
When I heard the tragic news of the elementary school massacre yesterday, I was overcome by emotion. I fought to hold back the tears as I thought of my own child. I wanted to leave the office, drive as fast as I could to my nana's, sweep him up into my arms and never let him go.
And then I thought I was going to be sick. What possesses a person to take the life of another human being? To take the lives of innocent children and their teachers... Rob parents of their children's contagious laughter and over abundance of love... Frighten an entire world of parents into asking themselves, "Is my child's school safe?"
Not a second has gone by since the news broke that I haven't thought about the parents who will never see their children again. They will forever be faced with the image of their frightened children holding the hands of their friends as they took their last breaths. And a week before Christmas, they will bury their babies.
They have had so many things taken away from them by one man's decision. And now we ask, "Why?"
The truth is, we will never truly know the thoughts that entered this man's mind. Was it anger? Illness? Were there warning signs that he could one say become a mass murder?
No matter what the answer may be, it will not make these parents feel better about the loss of their children. It won't make the families of the teachers who died protecting their students miss their loved ones any less.
So to those who have lost their children, siblings, teachers, friends, I offer you my sympathy. From the bottom of my broken heart, I am truly and deeply sorry for your unimaginable loss. While it may not make things any easier, know that while the rest of us are celebrating the birth of our savior, your babies and loved ones are holding his hand. They will never again know fear or heartbreak. From this day on, they will forever be safe in the arms of Jesus.
For those whose lives were spared yesterday, again, I am so sorry that you had to witness this absolutely devastating and horrific moment in time that will be with you all forever. Do not feel guilty for being alive and do not feel guilty for being thankful. I pray to God that he fills the teachers and children with strength, courage and love as they will one day have to enter the classrooms where so many were lost.
And for the rest of us, let us remember to show those we hold dear just how much we love them. Hug your children and tell them you love them whenever you get the chance. May God bless us in this time of uncertainty and grief.