We’re headed to Martha’s Vineyard this weekend where I plan to take deep breaths of ocean air, to hug Tom a lot and call Louis to tell him that I love him.
I hope that you are able to be with loved ones this weekend. Give them lots of hugs.
This week’s news of the mass shooting of children and their teachers at an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas is devastating. It follows the news of the mass shooting of 10 people (more loved ones) at a grocery store in Buffalo, New York. And, there were shootings between those two, including at a church.
You would think that when our mother goes to the grocery store in our great country, she would be safe. That when we drop our children off at school, they will return home for dinner and tell silly stories about their day. But, unlike many countries, in our country gun violence is the norm and we cannot assume that our loved ones will be safe.
My son is grown now and I still worry about him. When I was pregnant with Louis, I had nightmares of something happening to him and I was unable to stop it. After he was born, I’d sometimes have quick panicky thoughts of a disaster of one sort or another. 9/11 happened and I had new fodder for my fears. I was fearful when he went off to overnight camp, off to college, off to live on his own. These were not obsessions. They were fears based on the daily news. A frightening thought would cross my mind and I had to put it aside.
In a country with so much gun violence, how can we not fear for our loved ones? With so many school shootings, how would we not worry about our babies making it home okay?
If you’re grieving for the families who lost their loved ones and you’re looking for ways to change things or help in some way, Joanna Goddard shares resources and suggestions at the bottom of this post: Thinking about the Uvalde School Shooting, and What to Do Now. There is information there that I plan to read this weekend.
I’m taking a break from my normal list of weekend links. I’m sending you hugs this Memorial Day weekend.
About the photo: My neighbor Louise’s yard carpeted with cherry blossoms.