On Friday morning, December 14th, 2012 the sun poked its warm fingers around the edge of the horizon and began gently and slowly lifting the lid of darkness, as it has done each day for millions of years. This day would be different. Darkness would not fully lift, but instead grow blacker; a shaft of emptiness hovering over a tiny town in Connecticut called Newtown. It could have been Anytown, USA. In its bucolic New England setting, dressed for the holiday season, revered by its residents, and with the faces of its children shining with genuine joy and anticipation, it is Everytown, USA. On that morning, with all the senseless and unconscionable loss suffered, I am afraid humanity also suffered the shattering loss of innocence. (PLEASE CLICK ON THE TITLE ABOVE TO CONTINUE READING.)
|
Innocence has long been under threat by our deteriorating social mores and technology’s march, surrendering losses earlier in childhood. Now innocence is nearly extinct, and extinction is forever. Today, we awaken to a different world, a changed world, a world with only a shred left of the sweet innocence of childhood. And it sickens me. For us, after the initial shock, when finally we allowed ourselves some space to even talk about this, we did so very likely with Christmas carols as the background track – for us it was “Silent Night”. I will never hear that beautiful song the same way again. As soon as we heard the news, as parents, each of us wanted to reach across the room, the globe or even time, if that were possible, to hug our children no matter their ages with an embrace that would feel like it could go on forever. We are painfully aware that twenty-six more sets of parents will not have that opportunity. Theirs is a pain I just can not relate to. I feel for them deep, deep in my heart. I think about the children in the other eight classrooms, or in the library or the gym at that moment; about the parents and the siblings; about the people affiliated with that school in any way; about the parent who left the schools moments before, after dropping something off, a forgotten lunch perhaps, in a child’s rush to get to school, or a note that needed to be signed; about the first responders, the citizens of that town, the other relatives, the neighbors, the friends. They are all affected in ways that can only be fully known in the passage of time. It is a rippling of grief and bereavement, but also of heartfelt caring and love, with its center in Newtown and a reach that is instantly global and to which we are all connected. Each of us as energy workers, regardless of modality, is called upon especially at a time such as this to marshal our resources to help bring healing energy to the people of this world. Most all of us can recall an idyllic school environment full of fond memories, cherished and no doubt enhanced through the ages. Whether that school in our memories is the one we attended, or our kids did; whether it’s in our current neighborhood or another one, it occupies a prominent place in our minds and hearts. Parents, teachers and administrators will now have to take measures to “protect” these places and the children, and they should. But when it’s all said and done, how will these kids ever again burst wildly through the banging doors on their way outside to recess, or run, coats opened and shirt tails flying to catch a bus, or jump into the open door of a minivan, or hop on a bike for a quick jaunt home, or casually and playfully just stroll home? As we total the costs of providing this protection, we cannot dismiss the loss of innocence as among the most expensive cost we must endure. |