Conneticut

Did you hug your child a little longer tonight? A little harder? A few extra kisses at bedtime?

I know I did.

I spent my day trying to avoid the news. I didn't want to know what happened. I didn't want to hear if any of the children didn't make it. I wanted to stay in my nice, safe bubble where my child is ok and that's all that matters.

It's not all that matters though. There are parents out there tonight who will not have the opportunity to hug their little ones again. Their boys and girls went off to school this morning, excited about Christmas Break coming soon, probably a little wound up with all the holiday festivities and likely spending a fair bit of time considering just what the holidays would bring to their little lives. Their families were all in the same frame of mind just like many of us are at this time of year.

This is supposed to be one of the happier times of the year. A time when we stop and focus on our families, spending time together and appreciating the small things in life.

One young man has turned this in to a nightmare for the families who lost a loved one today and my heart is breaking for them.

I know we gave M bigger hugs, told him we love, love, loved him, let him stay snuggled up a little longer, read him a longer bedtime story and generally spent a little extra time with him. It wasn't for him  so much as for us. We were reassuring ourselves that he is ok, that we still have a child to hug goodnight, that a madman has not entered our lives and we thank the universe for it. In all of this though, my heart breaks for those parents who no longer have that luxury.

I truly hope that change comes from this heartbreaking situation.