A country that bleeds together

Most of our initial reactions to things are wrong. We are quicker to anger than patience, quicker to lie than face the truth, and quicker to run or stuff than deal with issues. Still, not all of our initial reactions are wrong. In light of the events in Connecticut, I have seen heartache, concern, prayer and a desire to help. Maybe some anger and outrage but that isn't unjustified. Even though most of us have little to no connection to those directly affected, we mourn together. This is family, and this is good. Joy is not the absence of sorrow, or pain. It isn't achieved in a vacuum devoid of difficulties or injustice.

The world may not be fair, or all together good, but love can conquer even in the darkest of moments. That doesn't make the darkness okay, and certainly doesn't mean God willed it to happen, but it does mean that it doesn't have to end with only pain. We win, we are family, when we share the pain together, with prayer, and acts of kindness.

Later reactions may come to our mind, feelings of need for revenge, to blame, or fear. We must push past those emotions. The reality is there is nothing we could do that would stop all tragedy from occurring, it is the cold sad fact of a world with broken people. What we can do though is share love, loving each other stops the cycle, it creates peace amidst the storm. When we choose love we heal wounds, and become peace makers, it is the best prevention policy that we will ever have. So I commend you who have mourned, prayed, and looked for ways to help, you make our country a better place, and despite the darkness of the evening, you bring about light.