" I can't imagine what those families are going through," I keep hearing people say. And I keep thinking, I can imagine it. I can imagine because we have been through it too. And there are probably hundreds of other families who have lost children this week, and every one of their losses is as great as the the loss each family in Newtown experienced.
"Senseless tragedy" is also a word I have heard over and over. But...every child's death is senseless: cancer, car accident, drowning, chiari malformation...all senseless in the eyes of the families who have lost what is most precious to them, their child.
I know that I am sounding insensitive here. Really I am not. I am deeply grieving the loss of those children and school employees. I would gladly have thrown my body over any one of my students to save their lives. But I do know other families out of the public eye are also grieving tonight, and I grieve with all those unknown broken hearts too.
As a teacher of 7 year old children and as a grandparent who lost a deeply loved (not quite) 6 year old grandson, the wounds are deep and fresh.
