My heart is heavy today. I’m looking for a reason not to be afraid of the world I’ve brought my daughter into.
50 souls. 50 brothers, sisters, wives, best friends, grandchildren, aunts, uncles. Mothers. Fathers.
Sons. Daughters.
5o more with physical and emotional wounds.
A country torn and aching and seemingly at a loss of what to do next.
I spent the day yesterday in little spurts of tears, going back and forth from the garden to my baby, because there was nothing I could do personally to change things and I just felt an overwhelming need to nurture the world at my fingertips.
That night, while rocking my daughter to sleep I decided I must hold on to the truth that I know. There is violence and hate in this world, yes, but I have to believe there is so much more love…
“When I say it’s you I like, I’m talking about that part of you that knows that life is far more than anything you can ever see or hear or touch. That deep part of you that allows you to stand for those things without which humankind cannot survive. Love that conquers hate, peace that rises triumphant over war, and justice that proves more powerful than greed.”-Fred Rogers
Meanwhile, back at the ranch... 
I saw the footage on the news here in the UK and saw people fleeing but at the same time saw people helping others get to safety, carrying people on shoulders or group of people carrying an injured person and those hugging each other in comfort. When horrors happen like this, look for the people helping others. People helping friends and strangers with no thought to their own safety in order to get others to a safe place. That restores my faith in humanity.
I am expecting my baby girl to arrive any day now and this tragedy affected me similarly…last night I wondered WHY am I bringing a child into such a horrible, violent world. 😦 But you’re right – love is greater. ((hugs))
Thanks for your comments concerning the world we live in. I enjoy reading your column very much, and I am disappointed and upset over the constant acts of violence that flood our news media daily. I also believe that God is in control and Love Will Overcome Evil. In Deuteronomy 31:6 it says, “Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.”
I recently read this information about fear, but I don’t have the author’s name. I want to share some of it with you.
Fear. One of the enemy’s most popular weapons that he uses against us. Worry, anxiety, fear…can overwhelm us with a thick shadow of darkness, controlling our every move and decision.
So much crazy going on around us today–wars, conflicts, persecution, violence, crime, natural disasters, terrorism, economic uncertainty, unemployment, divisions, disease, death. We fear for our children’s future, we fear for our families, we fear for our financial future, we fear for our safety. The list goes on…long. There actually is a lot we could potentially worry about.
Yet reality tells us that so much of what we spend our time worrying about never even happens. Living under the weight of the “what ifs” is a hard place to dwell.
I struggled with fear and worry for years. But through time, I began to find that the things that once would have sent me down an anxious spiral, no longer had the same effect. It didn’t happen quickly, but over days, months, years.
I read words-of life-of truth. Soaking them in, over and over, praying them out loud. Until they became so familiar, they replaced the other things in my mind that I’d battled against. There’s nothing magical about words and verses, but there is power through them, because they’re God’s words.
Change happened. Anxious thoughts began to diminish. Worry let go of its constant grip. And though fear is sometimes still there, it no longer wields control, holding me back, paralyzing me in its grasp.
His words are “life” words, soothing to our soul, calming to our spirits, giving power to our days.
Jessie, thanks for who you are and what you do. God’s Blessings to you and your family!
Thank you for this. I needed to hear those words and I’m sure others do as well. There is so much good in the world and we need to remind ourselves of it. Love from the ranch.
Don’t worry. the Lord looks out for all who believe that Jesus Christ is our savior.
You are very talented and gifted with your family.
God Bless.
Jessie, you always seem to find words to express what everyone is feeling. Bless you for this gift, and just for being wonderful you.
Edie is a true joy and beautiful too!
Thank you so much for the kind words and thank you for reading.