It has been over a month since my last blog entry. Tis the season I suppose. With Thanksgiving, getting ready for Christmas, big changes at my work and the hubby’s, life has been beyond hectic. I tried to sit down a week ago tonight and write about the tragic incident in Newtown CT, but I couldn’t allow my mind to even attempt to process what had happened. Earlier that morning, a co-worker had left Boston.com open on a computer. I happened to walk by and noticed the bright red Breaking News banner. I called another colleague over and just pointed. At that time, the news was only reporting that there had been casualties. Throughout the day, as the news turned more and more disgusting, my usually loud, boisterous school grew more and more somber. Staff walked around with either vacant stares, or glossy eyes.

I left work and clung to my children. My husband had a hard time leaving for work that night. I wanted to watch the news, but it was just too much. I found myself scrolling over Facebook statuses that mentioned it. I was not being cold-hearted, I was in survival mode. I can not comprehend the pain the parents of those beautiful children are experiencing. I never want to. I, like every other parent in the world was thinking what if? And I, like every other educator in the world was thinking what if? My husband said to me, “this is probably hitting all you teachers a little more than everyone else, huh?” I thought about that for a minute. I love my own children more than life itself and I would not want to put myself in a situation that could possibly take me from them, but I also love my students and they too are someone’s world. I would do what I can only hope that Jake and Rowan’s teachers would do.  I would do what many others would do. So many people talk about how awful humans have become.  But every day, people do amazingly unselfish acts to help other people. There are millions of “good people” in this world.  Let’s not forget that.  Let’s always try to be “good people.”

I want to live each day to its fullest. I don’t want to worry about insignificant things like dirty dishes, unfolded laundry, pet hair on school uniforms, or mounting debt. Dishes will get washed, clothes will find their way to the appropriate drawers/closets, kindergartners will wear their clean uniforms to school and come home looking like they wore them to war, and bills will get paid.

Please have a very Merry Christmas, celebrate life with your families, give lots of long, tight hugs and tell people you love them.

12/14/12