“How the Grinch Stole Christmas” by Dr. Seuss is a classic tale about learning the true meaning of giving, sharing, and family.

I can’t help but feel the Sandy Hook school shooter is the Grinch.

He came into a place and stole what didn’t belong to him.  Stole lives, stole innocence, stole safety.

The Grinch

This school shooting is a major tragedy no matter what time of year, but takes on an added sadness with the approaching holidays.

I can’t image how those poor parents, those teachers, the police officers sleep at night after what they saw.

But to those parents who will have to face Christmas morning without their children, my heart just breaks.

In the sadness, I feel like we need to come together as a community, as a country,  as a world.  But still, people complain because the President interrupts football for an historic speech.  People call in threats to churches holding vigils for the shooting victims.  I.Don’t.Get.It.

It’s time to rise.  It’s time to come together.  It’s time to turn in the bad guys.  Time to make some change.  Time to stop being the laughing stock of the world.  We need to lead the world in respect, love and commitment to our children.  It’s not just about keeping our kids safe.  It’s about keeping our kids healthy, about knowing when we need to reach out and help those who have mental issues, it’s about heath care, it’s about guns, it’s about respect for each other.

We have to be little Cindy Lou Who’s and not hide from things that scare us or things we don’t understand.  Like Cindy, we need to extend hands and offer gifts to those that are trying to steal and ruin our lives.Perhaps if we did that as a country, we can prevent events like this from ever happening again.

In the story, the lives of the people of Whoville were transformed.  As those in Newtown are learning, their lives will never again be the same.  But hopefully, they are also seeing through the anger and will someday embrace forgiveness.

You feel like you want to do something to help? Stop the violence.  Stop the threats.  Stop the hate.  Stop the judging.  Stop the politics.  Do what’s right for no other reason than what is in your heart.

“Welcome Christmas while we stand heart to heart and hand in hand.”