The world's heart is heavy today as the news of the massacre in an elementary school in Connecticut has surfaced with the tragic details in-tow. There is no way to make sense of this, which is probably why my artist's heart is having a very difficult time digesting it. I tend to let more in - feel deeper - as I've been cultivating my creativity. I soak the world in around me. At times like this feeling deeper, hurts deeper.
I was born and raised in the U.S. and this violent act could have easily have happened anywhere in the U.S. This is an image of some of my nieces and nephews. When I heard about what happened, my thoughts turned to gratitude that my family members are ok, but then despair, knowing 26 families will never be complete again. 20 sets of parents don't have a little child to hug or read a story to before they go to bed tonight. I hurt for those families. This world can feel so evil sometimes. Everyone is asking, in vain - WHY?!?
I am not making this a political issue as I have family on both sides of the "gun" issue and out of respect for those precious little lives lost - arguing and debating does absolutely nothing because the political world is unable to offer answers for this. Those who want to strip guns away from citizens altogether, or those who want to arm everyone to the teeth in the name of "safety for all" - will never find the answers for this. Why? Because they have "band-aid" political agendas that ignore the heart of the issues.
I want children everywhere to know nothing but kindness, honesty and sincerity. I want everyone to know what it feels like to be treasured and then turn that feeling into service, kindness and caring for someone else. I want them to know a society who has the greater good at heart, rather than a "me-first" attitude. Children everywhere need to know that they are the world's greatest resource and the biggest blessing to those around them because they are allowed to be exactly who they were made to be. They know that they are enough and they are uniquely gifted to bless the world in a way no one else can. Those children will grow up protecting the generation after them rather than hurting them.
We need to inspire rather than legislate. We need to love others rather than argue. Violence never quieted more violence. Love, caring and friendship shared grows. There's no way to legislate love. That has to come one person at a time, one home at a time. Change can come without a single congressional session. Change can come without an expensive and exhausting election. Change can come without a single argument. Change can come so simply from the inside out as we are examples and we reach out and teach, love and serve those within our sphere of influence.
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