To Do Something [ADVENTure Twelve]

There are some movies that I can listen to and know exactly what's going on on the screen. Many of them are holiday movies. Today, as Alia and I made chocolate chip cookies together, we listened to the movie Prancer, which was on in the living room. I could conjure each scene in my mind's eye as we creamed butter, cracked eggs, and measured vanilla. Once done baking cookies, I retreated to my bed, just-out-of-the-oven cookie in hand, and half-watched the remainder of the movie while going through photos to send to a friend and checking social media.

As I scrolled through my news feed, I realized two things - it's the anniversary of the Sandy Hook shooting and the school at which the shooting took place was evacuated today after receiving a bomb threat. Today. Why?

My heart breaks for all the families twice traumatized and is grateful for the decision of school officials to send the children home for the remainder of the day. As I said a prayer for all dealing with the aftermaths of school shootings and bomb threats, I felt deep thanksgiving that my children are all safe at home where school shootings are something read about on the internet, not a daily fear.

But what can we do? We can let love win. Let love change the way we act, the way we treat people - all people - the way we think about mental healthcare, community, and family.
We can hug our children a little tighter and a little longer, and appreciate our time together a little more. 
We can thank God for all our blessings, even on the hard days. Especially on the hard days.
We can draw something, bake something, or make something to brighten someone's day - and our own.