Song: “Safe and Sound,” the Civil Wars featuring Taylor Swift
I had prepared to write about hiking in Ohiopyle before winter settled in. Then I went to work.
I work a night shift. I hadn’t heard about the shooting at an elementary school in Connecticut until I came in. And then I was glued to the news coverage, catching updates during my breaks.
It’s my job to be aware of the news, but this hit close to home. I have two kids in elementary school. In one media report a boy learned that his little sister had died.
“Now I won’t have anyone to play with,” he said.
Sounds like something my oldest son would say.
As 2013 approaches, I’ve started planning my resolutions. Now I have to go back to the drawing board. This incident has shaken my core. I felt like I was on the verge of crying most of the night. I needed to go home and hug my sick kids. One of my favorite podcasts is “Phidippidations” by Steve Runner. He frequently talks about “Life 2.0,” and how he’s working to “upgrade” and improve our lives.
I disliked the term because it seemed more like a software upgrade.
One of my favorite lines from the “Lord of the Rings” films comes when the King of Rohan is burying his son. I think he says, “A parent should never live long enough to bury his children.”
I always imagined my kids growing up, having their own kids. The incident in Connecticut gives me pause. What if that happened in my kids’ school?
Did I love my kids enough that morning? Do they know how special they are? How much I love them?
I now buy into “Life 2.0,” Steve Runner. There needs to some upgrades in my life. I’ve been working on the changes as time permitted. I needed a big kick in the pants to make me take more strident measures to get the ball rolling.
Hug your family. Tell them how much you love them and how great they are. You never know when your time on the world will end.