What can you and I do?

This blog post doesn't have any cute pics, I promise the next one will have Christmas-y things!

So I'm assuming that most people have heard about the terrible incident that occurred at Sandy Hook elementary school in Newtown, Connecticut. It is such terrible, heartbreaking news. As a counseling intern at two elementary schools, I can't even imagine my students being in a similar situation.

This is a sensitive topic. When talking about this, I don't mean to negate the anguish and pain that so many are feeling in Connecticut, especially those akin to those who died. I am writing this post especially because it is close to Christmastime. My hope to is to touch on this topic with hopes to shine a glimmer of light. Is that ok?

What the perpetrator did was in no way acceptable. As of now about 27 individuals, 20 of them children and one being his own mother, have been killed due to this decision that he made, at the school campus. CNN stated that his mother may have been the primary target. Hearing this, I feel that anger and sadness and all around the country.

Hearing about this tragedy and the other ones that we have been hearing about, I can't help but ask: "What could have been done for him to change this decision and avoid such a massacre? What did he need to be relieved from whatever was going on within him? What can we do to help prevent tragedies such as this one where numbers of innocent lives are taken by the hands of one man?"

Could a hello or a friendly smile helped him? Perhaps a visit with a relative or friend, an encouraging word from an employee, professor, college worker may have helped? Did he need to see someone such as a mental health counselor to help him through his struggles? Even a doctor? Was there somebody whom he couldn't forgive? The questions could go on and on, can't it? Whatever it was, he didn't have it, or receive it, and I wish he did.

At the moment I haven't found information in regards to what was happening to him before this incident happened. Again, what was he struggling with? This prompt leads me to the realization that everybody is struggling with something and most of us will never know what our friends, neighbors, coworkers etc are also fighting to get through. Does that mean we shouldn't try to encourage or help anyone? That's not the point. There is so much that we don't know, but the beauty is that we can do what is in our power to help the world shine brighter. I believe we can, I would like to hope.

I believe many of us will have different answers in regards to the questions that I brought up. That is the beauty of individuality. Even with this tragic event, it is still Christmastime. Knowing the possibility of these events occurring is scary, it may keep you from even leaving your house! Fear is so powerful. Fear of getting hurt, fear of failure, I believe that it keeps us from moving forward.

Sad events like this bring a dark cloud over the Christmas spirit. There is something that I would like to do to help keep the Christmas spirit shining bright, especially in these dark days. Would you like to join me by trying the solution that is on your mind? :)

I am going to try to keep the Christmas spirit by sharing love to those I can reach in my individual way, in hopes to be that little star that those in gloom seek out in the vast dark skies they see above. (corny)


Masumi