I'm veering off my normal beachy path for a moment, because something is weighing heavily on my mind and weighing heavily on my heart. I'm sure many of you are feeling the same thing. I feel a strong need to put these feelings in print, to express myself, to share them with you and most of all to recognize that on Saturday we lost so much of who we are as a nation. To recognize that we must not loose sight of the bigger picture, the picture that paints us as the caring people I know we are, who do respect each other's differences. This sometimes has become hidden, but I know it's still there, I witness it everyday here in our blogging community and in my personal life.
Today a child lies dead. A child whose life started on a tragic day and ended on a tragic day. Along with her lie five others, with fourteen more in the hospital.
This is not a political statement. This is a call for all of us to stop the hate, stop the blame game, stop the violence, just stop. Please.
We are more alike than different.
I've been blogging for over a year and a half here at The Hut. I've made so many new friends through our shared interests. I've been "in" your homes. I know who loves the beach, who loves gardening, who posts the best recipes and who makes the most wonderful crafts. I know what bargain you found at a yard sale or in your favorite thrift store. I know if you live where it snows or if you live somewhere where anything below 60 degrees sends you running for a winter coat. I know your children, your spouse, your grandchildren, your pets.
I've seen us rally around someone who lost a loved one or gained a new family member. I've seen the support we give when one of us goes through tough times or has a tough day. I know the loss we all feel if another blogger passes away, even if we've never been to their blog before.
For the most part, I don't know your political philosophy or what religion you're associated with.
But, I know your hearts. I've seen you happy, sad, hopeful, thoughtful, giving, supportive and a whole list of other attributes that I admire.
We are more alike than different.
I adore each and every one of you. My life is better for knowing you.
I embrace the diversity that makes up friends and family that are a part of my daily life and the diversity of those who are part of my "online" life. I love them all. I respect them all. I love you all. I respect you all.
I couldn't imagine not having any of them or not having any of you in my life any more than I could imagine cooking with only salt and pepper.
We are more alike than different.
There are many turning points we reach as we travel the path of life and now is one of those moments when we must decide if we want a life full of love for our fellow man or if we want hate to consume us and destroy what we value most.
It is always a tragedy when someone dies, but when it is a child I have even more questions. Now I don't know if this incident was directly related to any of the hateful rhetoric I heard prior to her death or since, I only know that I needed to take this time to speak out, to shout out — please stop. We are more alike than different.
My heart breaks for every life that was lost that day and for those who are still in the hospital. My heart aches for the family and friends who are suffering their loss on a much more personal level than myself, but today…
a child lies dead.
She was a daughter, a granddaughter, a niece, a friend. She was a bright spot from a day that was full of tragedy for all of us. Born on a day in our history when we came together and mourned together. Let her death not be in vain, but a wake up call for us to realize that we are more alike than different. Let's come together to mourn her loss. Let her short-lived life be a force that brings us together, that teaches or reminds us to respect our differences and leads us to find a way to live in harmony without hateful words or threats of violence.
In Memoriam
Christina-Taylor Green
September 11, 2001 – January 9, 2011
16 Thoughtful Comments:
I hear you loud and clear, Rhonda. What a tragedy this is and my heart aches for everyone involved and affected by what happened in Tucson. I am praying a lot these days.
XO,
Jane
Rhonda, the first night I heard about this I couldn't sleep. I was up until 7:00 a.m. when I finally passed out from exhaustion. I never watch the news any more (preferring to read it), but I turned it on when I heard what had happened. I made the mistake of watching again last night, and I was up till about three. I just can't get that little girl's face and her parents' words and the sounds of their sad voices out of mind, let alone the Democratic Congresswoman, her aid, the Republican federal judge, and the other innocent bystanders who died and were wounded. That gunman hit a broad swath of Americans and the heart of each of us when he unloaded on them. But that sweet little girl... I'm so sad for her family and friends and for our whole country. It was a HUGE loss.
I love you and have been thinking of you a lot, hoping you are feeling better. I have finally gotten out, but today I have an earache and sort of a stuffy head. Still I keep hoping I will feel up to getting together with you soon. I miss you and was looking at a few little "happies" I have here for you.
And I love you. Glad you wrote this post!
XO,
Sheila
Thank you for writing this. As I am typing this I have a lump in my throat and tears in my eyes. I have been so saddened by this event. Why oh why does anger and dissent lead to such violence. This child was there because she believed in the government of the United States and wanted to learn more about it. A bright and beautiful child with so much life in front of her. Not to mention the other lives lost and damaged. This has go to stop. I am so sad for our country.
always, Linda
I couldn't have said it better myself. The thought that this poor child's birth and death are marked by such tragedies is hard to grasp. I can't imagine the pain her parents feel. I also think that any one of us might have stopped if we were at the grocery store and found out a member of Congress was there. We can't live our lives in fear of going anywhere...yet, we have to be aware that these things do happen everywhere these days.
I agree, it needs to stop. It breaks my heart.
It's such a tragedy Rhonda. We are hearing about this on our news reports over here too. I am thinking about her today and the others who lost their lives.
Lindsay
x
This was so tragic. I agree with your sentiments exactly! You expressed it so well!!! It is hard to understand why there is such evil and such hatred in this world, but we certainly know it is and see it daily even in the most petty of circumstances. This was a horrible extreme of hatred that should wake people up from their actions. Clearly this person who commited this crime did not feel love or know love in his heart. You are right though, we should not forget that there is good as well. I personally believe in God and that there is a better plan for us, though we are not there yet, in this world. That is a hope I will not let go of, that there will be a better life then this! I will not let the evil one make me doubt that either because of what we see here. And we should all do our part to keep shining a little bit of love in this world while we are here. Take care!
Hi Rhonda,
Thank you so much for sharing your thoughts and your heart. This is such a tragic thing that has happened, so senseless and cruel.
My heart breaks for the parents of this little girl and for the others injured and their families.
Thanks for expressing this all so well.
hugs
Sissie
Beautiful post, Rhonda. We all need to be reminded of these nice things from time to time. It is such a shame that this has happened. It is such a shame that there were so many lives cut short. My heart is so heavy today, but thank you for your courage to speak up and speak out. I love visiting your hut and appreciate your strong words.
Beautifully said, Rhonda. Such a horrible event! That beautiful little girl... a brother losing a sister... children losing parents, grandparents... so much sorrow!
I don't know whether you follow Ashleigh Burrows' blog, but she was one of the ones shot that day. Here is her site, in case you want to send her well wishes:
http://ashleighburroughs.blogspot.com/
Both my eyes and my heart are full. How beautifully written this is and so very powerful. I wish we could print it on the front of very newspaper in our country. It just couldn't be said any better. Sometimes I get very discouraged at all that goes on around us but I try to remember that there really are more of us that are good than bad (at least I want to believe that). I wish we would take all the violent shows off TV and burn all the evil movies out there and I wish we could somehow reach all the wayward youth....well, I could go on and on. Thank you for remembering this precious child this way.
Dear Rhonda
I agree with Cheri... this is so powerfully written.. and simply points to the essence of humanity.. we are different.. but more alike than different.. and we each deserve to be allowed to express those differences without fear of attack or hatred. Of course this problem is as old as man itself, but It is beyond comprehension what despicable acts are performed under the guise of politics.. Granted the madman was just that.. 'insane'.. but all the hatred that is stirred up on a daily basis just adds fuel for such atrocities to occur.. and creates a sense of normal.. that hatred, anger and violence are normal!!
I'm not speaking specifically about American politics as I certainly am ignorant and misinformed in this area.. but I see enough stupidity on tv news to know that it's out of control in most countries.. Smear campaigns as a political tool should be illegal.. sure that's not freedom of speech but if leaders of a country [yours and mind] are allowed to foster such abuse and hatred as acceptable behaviour we shouldn't be surprised when ordinary people start to accept it as normal..
My heart goes out to the families of this child and the other victims.. It's almost inconceivable to think this young girl was born on Sept 11 2001 and died on another fateful day as a result of hatred..
So sorry to hear this sad news...
Bravo Rhonda! You stated so beautifully what I think so many of us feel. I was shocked and heartsick when I heard of the shooting. And when the circumstances became more clear, I was so angry. Will the madness ever stop? I just cannot imagine what that poor girl's family is going through. My thoughts and prayers are with all of the victims and their families. What a senseless tragedy. Kat
Rhonda-my heart so goes out to that prewcious child's mother.My heart aches for her.What have we become that an innocent child is murdered by some senselss madman?
Thank you for posting this.
Rhonda, what a perfect way to express the feelings of everyone in this country, and around the world that heard of this horrible tragedy. An innocient little child, so excited about life and her wonderful future, all taken in an instant by one terrible ill person. I have no sympathy for that individual (cannot call him human), at all, nor his parents, who obviously didn't care he had a mental illness. But, again my heart breaks for the eldery who were killed, no one deserves that, no one! I could never imagine what those parents are going through who lost their little girl, and I pray I never have to. God Bless them all, and all we can do is pray that nothing like this ever happens again, our country has been through enough, it's time for people to have compassion and respect for one another. We are all equal in the eyes of God.
Thank you again for such a meaningful post.
Amen to everything you said so beautifully.
xo jj
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