Lost but Not Forgotten

Today was my first day of work at Catalyst.  I am a mentor for young boys who are in this home to make a change in their lives whether it is because of drugs or other things that have harmed or hindered progress in their lives.  We had a group session today and the shooting in Connecticut got brought up so we talked about it for a while.  When I say "we" I mean they, I just sat and listened (which if you know me is a rare occasion).  It was absolutely amazing to listen to these boys and their thoughts.

Boys in these situations have a stereotype to by just punk kids who don't care about anything but their drugs or whatever it is, but boy is that wrong.  It was the neatest thing to listen to these boys.  They all have the biggest hearts and cared so much about the situation.  I know without a doubt that these boys felt immense grief at this time.  I think we all did.  

I looked up grief and this is what I found...
Grief: keen mental suffering or distress over affliction or loss.
Keen: sharp, piercing, or biting


There really isn't a better way to describe this event.  It is a piercing pain.  Children are the last of anyone that something like this should happen to.  I look at the age of my nieces and nephews and they are all right around that age and it makes my heart ache to think of something like that happening to them.  

My biggest fear of this event is the possible repercussion.  Our country has been through a lot in the last 6 months between Colorado, Oregon, and now Connecticut, and any other events similar in anyway that have probably happened. Things like this bring out a lot of anger in people, which completely makes sense.  We should be mad.  These things should not be happening...but they are.  The only thing we can do at this point is make the good things better then the bad.  It's time we start looking into our communities, finding the needs of the people, and start helping meet those needs.

It is time for a change. Times like this really bring out the ugly in the world.  It shows us how bad things could get, and by could I mean they actually could...unless we make a change.  At this time we need to honor those who have lost their lives in these terrible events...and by honoring them we need to spread the light to the Nation, making a change in the lives of those around us.  Don't lose hope, don't lose your sight on the light of the world.  The lives lost in this tragic event deserve a fight, it is them and all the children to come who we must remember and continue to fight for.