I feel strongly that before sharing more lighthearted posts with you I must add my voice to the many that have expressed profound sadness and heartache over the tragic shooting in Newtown, CT on Friday. I read about the events just minutes before leaving my boys for the weekend to head to NYC with Dave. Luckily, I had my sweet mother to stay with them, and I knew they would be cared for and loved as if I were home.

My initial reaction to the news was confusion. What could possibly lead to such a senseless and wicked act? My soul aches for the mothers whose babies were taken from them, and for the families and friends who have lost cherished people from their lives. I pray for healing, hope, and an abundance of God’s love to be with and shelter those in need. If there is any goodness to be had from this impossibly sad event, it will be the increased tenderness with with families everywhere are treating their children. And I hope, an increase in love for all with whom we meet.

Milo crawled into my bed around 1 am this morning (he’s sneaky!). My usual reaction would have been to walk him quietly back to his bed, tuck him back in, and tell him I’ll see him in the morning. But today I raised up the covers and pulled him close to me, wrapping my arms around him. I think he was a little surprised, expecting to be shooed back into bed, and he took my face in his hands and told me he loved me so much. He, Eliot, and Dave are the best and most important pieces of my life, and I want there to exist even more gentleness, kindness, acceptance, encouragement, faith, and love within our family than before.

Increased love and acceptance were on my mind towards the latter end of the weekend due to a quiet call for support happening in my church. The reactions I’ve read range across the board, with the most surprising being vehement opposition. After a long conversation with Dave (read: the four hour bus ride home from NYC) I keep coming back to the idea that what is really needed is love. A huge, wonderful, unrestrained, selfless, defenseless amount of love for every person with whom we come in contact. There is no need for criticism, judgement, or intolerance in this already (and obviously) wicked world. We are all trying to put together happy lives made up of the people and the stuff that we’ve got, and we all do so differently and imperfectly.

I am in no way a perfect person, mother, wife, friend, daughter, blogger, crafter, neighbor or citizen. Despite all of my many shortcomings, today I am rededicating myself to become a force for good and a beacon of love within my family, community, and yes, even the internet. There will always be opposition, negativity, discouragement, and tragedy. It’s up to each one of us to ensure that there is lots and lots of love.