Time to Take a Breather

Dear Diary,

Today I read a list of names of (mostly) children who were massacred in Connecticut. 

I literally.
               Stopped.
                            Breathing.

It reminded me of my kids' class lists they bring home at the beginning of each school year.  We end up marking it up during the year, especially in preparation for the Valentines to be made and handed out in February. 

It reminded me of the lists I typed up for parents in my own classroom, for which I was an aide.

But these kids won't be getting Valentines, nor will they be able to unwrap the gifts that were already under their Christmas trees, or hidden in closets. 

This list of names has so much gut-wrenching meaning.  And I could tack on the names of the victims of the Portland Mall shooting, the Colorado movie theater massacre this summer, and the weekly drive-by shootings of kids in Chicago, to name a few other events of recent memory.

Each person, precious.  Each shooting, senseless.

I just needed to write this out tonight, in the hopes that it would help resuscitate my breathing.  Who couldn't use a little resuscitation after a day like Friday? 

I have been shaken out of my stupor of mundane life.  I am newly revived to make the most of each day as I look forward to the celebration of Christ's birth, and the coming of Jesus again.  And the kids are getting more hugs than usual these days too.

In Remembrance,
LJ

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