This latest tragedy in Connecticut has hit me harder than any of the most recent since 911. Maybe because we all love children and recognize their promise and preciousness.

This morning DH, reminded me of when our DGS was tiny and we were in the museum. He saw
little angels displayed up near and on the ceiling in one of the rooms and said "dems muvvers wants dems to come down"

DH said he could not help but relate it to the 20 new souls in heaven and how much that would be true of their mothers.

Yesterday we were watching the coverage and feeling miserable and sad when the doorbell rang. This is what greeted us. . . girl scout carolers from our grade school. It was really bittersweet, seeing their innocence and joy and realizing that another group of children will never get to go caroling or have their lives in any way.

Amidst so much sorrow, what an especially sweet picture!

Such a sad time, my heart goes out to the families who have lost loved ones.

What a happy picture of those carolers, just makes a person want to hug each and every one.

Wanda

Emily, Inthink I would have been tempted to hug those carolers after the news yesterday. Texted my kids about the tragedy and they were hugging their children extra long yesterday
after they got out of school. Sounds so trite to say, but what is happening these days to cause so many people to have no respect for life, esp of little children? Just saddens me profoundly.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: mamaspoon,

And the most frightening aspect is this...there's nothing anyone could have done to prevent it. They're wondering if there were warning signs...of course there were, but what could anyone do? Even if he got psychological help, there's no guarantee that any amount of counseling or meds could have made a difference. Short of locking him up and throwing away the key, there is nothing that can be done.

And, what were all those wea pons doing in that house? Not that he couldn't have gotten them easily enough, but sheesh! what was Mom thinking? Was it for her own protection from him? It's mind boggling.

I'm saddened for those families whose lives are forever changed, but also for the rest of us who may be faced with similar situations and are at a complete loss as to how to address the nightmare of a family member at the edge and no where to turn for real help.

quote:

just makes a person want to hug each and every one.

I couldn't because I was crying.

Belstone I agree with you completely about the guns and the Mom, however we had a tragic case here where a man who had paranoid schizophrenia killed his mother with an ax.

It is not pol co rr ect to say but until, I think about the '70's most mentally ill people were institutionalized. Now they are among our street people and/or making life He ll for their families, because you can not force anyone to take necessary meds. And in the case of the man in Maine, he would not allow his family and the mental health community to communicate and he did have the say even though the parents were responsible for him. Go figure.

We will learn much from his father and brother.