Tomorrow, in schools across America, children and teachers will enter schools and classrooms different people. Parents will walk through familiar routines with interrupting thoughts.
“They lost their lives in a school that could be any school, in a quiet town full of good and decent people that could be any town.” President Obama.
Lord, God, Let your grace be sufficient for each one.
For parents who have lost a child, whose pain is fresh, again, Lord, comfort them.
“It was an angry, desperate act of a confused young man” Patricia Llodra, First Selectman, Newton, CT.
Let the peace that passes all understanding guard hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.
“Turn off the news. Help by donating to mental health research.” Morgan Freeman.
Yes, please.
“He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside the still water. He restores my soul. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me. Your rod and your staff, they comfort me.” Psalm 23:2-4
My younger sister, who is now – I know – in Heaven, suffered from mental health issues. To have someone you love sick in that way is very isolating, even in this supposedly enlightened culture. We “accept” every deviant lifestyle to be politically correct, but if you say you know someone who is mentally ill, people seem to step away from you… it’s quite disheartening. My other family members and I would say how much easier it would be to talk about my sister’s illness if it was cancer or something else physical – then people would understand and sympathize instead of looking at you crosswise.
I truly hope this horrific incident, as well as others, will push our country to get their focus on where it belongs – helping to uncover and resolve the mental health issues of a sick nation, of which of course the root is sin.
Amen, Ann. You speak truth here that I hope others read. There is a crippling stigma to mental illness and you expressed it well. Thank you for your voice.