I’ve been in a rut all week.  The tragedy in Newtown hit me really hard…I think it’s done the same to a lot of people, especially parents.  We look at those little faces and see our own.

I see baby bratlet echoed in all of them and I hurt.  She’s only six…I made the difficult choice to discuss it with her, and all of the kids, but I especially wanted to talk it over with her, because I’d rather her hear about it from me, than somebody at school.  When I told her, she said…

Nobody better ever try that at my school.  Not on my watch.

And I choked up.  Like she could protect herself, and those around her, through the power of her will alone.  It makes me think of the brave little boy who said,

“I know karate, so it’s OK. I’ll lead the way out.

Read more @ NYD

A six year old child is a fragile, wonderful, brave soul…one so wonderful, and beautiful.  I still can’t comprehend how this happened.

Instead of my Friday Flashback, I want to spread the word about something that was inspired by Ann Curry.  There’s a page on facebook… http://www.facebook.com/26acts.

It was inspired by this comment made by Ann Curry.

 

You can read more about it here…

This is something I’ve been doing in bits and pieces all week, but I’ve commited myself to seeing it through the 26 acts, and probably beyond, specifically with those lost souls from Newtown in mind.

I’ve always been a big believer in helping out, in giving back.  I don’t really see it as charity so much as in just doing something.  People are more connected to each other than we think and when we do something to help another, it makes the world better all around.

Right now, the world is in a very dark place and if one act…or 26 acts…can help somebody out, I’m all for it.

And it’s a lovely tribute to those 20 children and the six adults who gave up their lives trying to protect them.

I don’t want to list most of the things I’ve done… I keep most of those things to myself.  Some are bigger than others, some are just little things.

But just some random things… the wind was horrid the other day and it had blown somebody’s recycling bin out of their yard and it was about to take off to who only knows where.  I was leaving to take the bratlet to the orthodontist and I pulled my car over, got the bin and secured it so the owner could get it before the wind could.  It cost nothing.

I spent a few months searching for the perfect red coat last year.  While I was in the ortho’s office, they were collecting coats for a homeless shelter.  I put my coat in the bin.

Those were small things… you can something as big, or as small, as you want…clean the snow from a neighbor’s car.  Buy a toy, even a $5 one for Toys for Tots or a local homeless shelter.  Got used books?  Take them to a local homeless shelter, a hospital or nursing home.  They need them.  Got kids?  Buy a box of donuts for their teachers or the front office staff.

Darkness hit us so hard last week, but we can choose whether or not to let drown in the darkness, or find a way to let love and light come through.

Nothing will ever undo that awful tragedy, but using kindness to honor those children, the teachers is one way to break through some of the darkness.