Sadness

I spent a good part of Saturday night sitting on the couch, dressed and ready to go to a Christmas dance, while MSNBC spun theory after theory about the horrors of Sandy Hook school in Newtown, Connecticut. To be honest, the grief and feelings of powerlessness have overwhelmed my holiday spirit. No amount of carols, lights, or Christmas packages that can overcome the tragedy that happened on Friday.


I write fantasies, fanciful fictions about worlds that never existed. As an author it’s my job to conceive of things others can’t, but I can’t wrap my mind around what’s happened. Maybe, by their very nature, unimaginable crimes can’t be comprehended, explained, or reasoned away. Seeing the images and hearing the voices of those who lost so much it’s difficult to keep hope alive in your heart. It’s hard to watch and know you can do nothing…or can you?

Perhaps the one and only thing that each of us can do is resist the death of hope. It might be naive to believe we can make the world a safer and better place. I’m not sure I fully know what safe or better mean. I don’t have a list of steps that will get us to that ideal world and, frankly, I’d be suspicious of anyone who claims they do. The only think I know is I believe it can happen and I’m willing to work for it.

For now I send my condolences and thoughts to those who are grieving.