As I write this my words are scrambled, and my thoughts are like a tornado of ideas whirling around my sadness. The pain of losing a child is unimaginable – the pain of losing a loved one dedicated to children is unimaginable. Some would say-How can God allow this? We have the gift of free will- He allows us to make choices….

What can we do with our broken hearts? When our hearts are broken open it is an opening for more of God’s Light and Love. Love and Light are and always will be more powerful than fear and darkness.

No baby is born with a gun in their hands, we have an opportunity to make things different. The person who goes on a rampage was once reachable, and probably more than once called out for help, attention, love, and support-but something went wrong-. Clearly, I am not defending their actions, I am just saying, there was a window of opportunity to help heal that person that was missed. And there are more people out there who are that broken and in need of connection.

Here’s what I believe can make a difference-

We can change by starting with our own hearts, first loving ourselves- and then making the commitment on a daily basis to reach out to others in compassion and kindness- making a human connection every day in some small way. Do not underestimate the power of a smile, a kind word, of listening to someone tell you their story-. Connection is the key.

Is it that simple? Yes and no and I don’t know- what I do know is that someone who feels isolated, unseen, and unloved will turn to behavior that puts them in the center of attention even for a brief moment to fill that void. And their void becomes our pain, our loss, a deep sadness for all involved.

I pray for the little souls and the big souls that suffered this tragedy – I pray for the families who must endure this -unimaginable pain. I pray for us that we find a new path through the darkness and hold each other close- so we heal together and come out the other side of fear and darkness to Light and Love.