Let Evil Go.

I can't stop thinking about it, it is consuming my thoughts, emotions, and sleep. It keeps replaying in my head...the fear, the last moments for each for them, the monster that did this to them. I have even questioned humanity and whether or not we truly are any better than animals, but then I remember even animals would never do such a thing. I keep finding myself crying unprompted and in the most obscure places (my most recent episode was immediately after leaving Dunkin Donuts this morning). My heart is physically aching and the incessant pit in my stomach just won't let up. I continually try to hold on to the precious images of each and every one of their beautiful faces but these mental images keep getting tarnished by the horrid images plastered all over the media...yet I still can't turn away. Why? Why did this happen? Why these gentle souls? Why an elementary school?!  I just want to know. No, I *need* to know. I need to make sense of this so I can move on, so I can rest assured my own children will be safe when they're at school, in a public park, at the mall... The numbing reality is: I can't. There are always going to be evil people in this world. People that are broken, faulty, defective. This world consists of both good and evil, always has, and always will. It is critical we don't lose sight that most people are good. They are caring, generous, loving and that is becoming more evident as they days go by with the outpouring of these exact things to those that are suffering the most. As a parent, I cannot ask my children to live in fear, nor can I expect myself to continue to do so. If I do, evil has won. It isn't fair. If they live in fear and I deny them of their freedom to explore and see all the greatness this world has to offer, and this includes other people, than I am denying them of the most precious thing of all: truly living.

Until my last breath, I solemnly swear I will do everything in my humanly power to protect my children from evil, but the reality is I cannot be with them 24/7 so when I am not physically near, I will make sure they know God is. As the days pass, I am seeing more and more people come together, show support, offer whatever comfort they can-however great or small- and it is slowly renewing my faith in humanity. One monster did this. He was a waste of human material while here on Earth and this world is a better place in his absence. His actions should not distract from all the other greatness of others, including those twenty-six others that were killed. Each and every one of them have caused a town, country, and world to unite and come together. How many people say that they have had that type of impact in their entire life let alone in less than seven years?? They were each loved deeply not only their families but by those whose lives they touched.and continue to touch. There is no questioning their lives were cut far too short (by any standards), however, they have caused pure greatness to evolve from this tragedy. Complete strangers are hugging, working together, and offering something to one another that Adam Lanza was completely void of...love.

Adam Lanza was pure evil that walked this earth. His name will be forever associated with anger, grief, and disgust. What a horrible (yet rightfully earned) way to be remembered. He chose this eternity of hell for himself and deserves nothing more. If I can ask anything, please do not remember him.. Do not give him that. Let his corrupt body decompose and let him go, let his evil go...

Charlotte Bacon, Daniel Barden, Rachel Davino,Olivia Engel, Josephine Gay, Ana M. Marquez-Greene, Dylan Hockley, Dawn Hochsprung, Madeleine F. Hsu, Catherine V. Hubbard, Chase Kowalski, Jesse Lewis, James Mattioli, Grace McDonnell, Anne Marie Murphy, Emilie Parker, Jack Pinto, Noah Pozner, Caroline Previdi, Jessica Rekos, Avielle Richman, Lauren Rousseau,
Mary Sherlach,Victoria Soto, Benjamin Wheeler, Allison N. Wyatt.


These are the ones we need to remember, we need to live their greatness for them since they are no longer here to do it for themselves. Do one good deed each day for another human being for twenty-six straight days and when you've reached Day 26, start over. Give their short lives purpose and show their families that they made an impact and will continue to do so in spirit. When I leave this Earth, I can only hope to be as loved and to have made such a profound impact on humanity as each of these beautiful beings did. A rule of thumb I always live by (and try to instill in each of my girls) is: always leave wherever it is you go a smidge better than it was when you arrived. Albeit a hug, smile, or making someone else laugh. Each of these victims did that..and so much more.

They will be missed. Terribly. However, they will not be forgotten. Now, if you'll excuse me I have a good deed to do for the day...