Remembrance

Today marks eight years since the Sandy Hook school shooting in Newtown, Connecticut. We tend to forget about things like this when they become old news; we forget that families are still suffering. When it’s fresh, we read all about it and say how horrible it is. But then the commotion lessens, people start to forget, and the victims are left alone to suffer in silence. We need to understand that long after we’ve forgotten about what happened, the families of these kids are left with lasting unimaginable grief. We need to recognize their pain and work with them to help honor their deceased children. We can’t expect these parents to get over the tragedy and get back to normal in no time; it’s not like that. They will never get over losing their child. That is something people need to understand. It’s not just another setback in life, it’s an unimaginable catastrophe. We need to remember their grief, their pain. We need to talk to them and listen to what they have to say. Listening is the best gift you can give. Don’t abandon these people because you feel uncomfortable being around someone who has suffered such a loss. Be their friend and try to help them as much as possible. Listen to them and let them know you’re there for them. These things will help immensely. There’s probably not a whole lot else you can do since they’re going to live with a mountain of grief for the rest of their lives, but you can try to help to the best of your abilities. Help them keep the memories of their children alive - honor their children. Show them compassion and understanding. Be kind to them, especially around the holidays. This time of year can be extremely hard for the families who lost their children in the Sandy Hook shooting since it occurred on December 14th, a little over a week before Christmas. That makes things a lot more difficult for them. So help them remember, be their friend, listen to them, talk to them, and let them know you’re there for them. Don’t let events like this become old news.