The New York Times reported yesterday that people in Newtown, CT, do not know the right thing to do now after the tragic loss of lives. But, as I thought about this last night, I knew the right thing for me to do today, on this primarily weekly blog post, was to extend my sympathy and prayers to those people.
As a mom and grandma and nurse, I do not even know the right words to say. My loss of words to describe how I felt when I heard the news reminds me of what Elie Wiesel said about writing Night: “I knew I had to testify about the past but did not know how to go about it…I felt incapable and perhaps unworthy of fulfilling my task as survivor and messenger. I had things to say but not the words to say them.”1
The right words do not matter to God. I can pray, as our minister did yesterday, to follow John the Baptist’s example to be “messengers of hope and healing when our hearts are in despair.” I can pray that we, as a nation, figure out how to deal with the issues involved. And I can pray for the promise of Christmas to bring meaning and peace to all who are suffering, and to all of us who stand alongside.
1Elie Wiesel. 2001. A Sacred Magic Can Elevate the Secular Storyteller, in Writers on Writing, Times Books: NY, p. 260.
Write Along with Me 
I, too, put aside regular comments on my weekly post to rant against the culture of gun ownership. There has been enough killing. Time for make demands to our elected officials to enforce gun control in this country.
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Absolutely, and to include other issues that may get uncovered in this tragedy, like access and affordability of long-term mental health care.It’s troubling to hear reports of the mother’s ongoing concerns about her son’s behavioral changes. It seems there were plenty of red flags.
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Your words are lovely Lois..even the ones you think you cannot express are felt here.
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Thank you, Chris. Such a tough tough time.
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