Last Thursday, December 14th, was the fifth anniversary of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting in Newtown, Connecticut. Out of the long list of recent massacres in America, this one, in particular, hurts me to the core.
Perhaps it is, because the 20 little angels that were murdered that day, were in first grade just as my son is right now. The pictures of the smiling children, missing a few teeth, and the pictures of the six teachers that gave their lives protecting the innocents in their care, reminded me how fortunate I am. And I thank God daily.
I can’t thank God enough that my son is growing up happy and healthy in a safe environment, that I spend my life with a husband who loves me, treasures and respects me, and that I can write and express my opinions in a free country without fearing any censorship.
With so much pain in the world, I think this Christmas I am going to wrap myself and put a bow on my head. I’ll sit under the tree and simply celebrate the gift of my life.
We Colombians have an annual praying tradition called the Novena de Aguinaldos. It is a novena that starts on the 16th of December and ends on Christmas Eve to commemorate Mary and Joseph’s journey to Bethlehem to fulfill the prophecy of the birth of Jesus.
My faith in the Nativity story goes back a long time and every year I pray for me and my loved ones. Nonetheless, this year I included the parents who have lost their children to evil and senseless violence. May God give them peace and solace during this Holiday season. Only the grace of God can mend their broken hearts.
Thank you for reading and sharing, and Merry Christmas!
Xiomara Spadafora
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Good crazy woman 