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This holiday season, I have found myself (on more than one occasion) in deep discussion with my kids. Conversations provoked by recent happenings both in Connecticut and here locally. They had a lot of questions for me. “Why would someone do something so terrible?” and “What can we do about it!” from my teenagers. “Why would someone want to hurt kids!” from my little twin boys, who are just 6 years old this year. Many of you have faced the same questions, no doubt.
I told them they were still safe at school, and they believed me. One of my little twin boys told me he wasn’t “afraid to go to school, because the bad man who hurt the kids is dead now, Mom and besides…I would just hide under my desk if something like that happened at my school.”
Innocence, and blind confidence…are a sweet and tender thing to behold.
A few days ago my dear friend Julie handed me a newspaper with the most amazing article in it. You can access it here. Writing about the Connecticut shooting, the columnist Jeff Benedict, shares a beautiful story of kindness amid the tragedy and reminds readers of the famous speech given by our own Abraham Lincoln. During his second inaugural address, the Civil War in full force Lincoln states these beautiful words…
“With malice toward none; with charity for all; with firmness in the right, as God gives us to see the right, let us strive on to finish the work we are in; to bind up the nation’s wounds; to care for him who shall have borne the battle, and for his widow, and his orphan — to do all which may achieve and cherish a just and lasting peace among ourselves, and with all nations.”
I believe in charity and “firmness in the right”. When my children asked me “what can we do about these terrible things that happened?” I echoed the words of our dear former president. I told them, we can treat people kindly. We can look for ways to ease people burdens. We can watch for someone who is lonely and offer our love and friendship. We can “bind up the wounds” and work towards a “just and lasting peace.” It is really the only thing we have the power to control.
Ourselves.
We ourselves, can choose to be good.
My family and I would like to wish you and yours a Merry Christmas. Hope you have a wonderful time with your loved ones. 🙂 I will be taking a few days off next week to spend time with my family, but will be back after Christmas with a new recipe or two just for you.
Merry Christmas, Jamie. Thank you for all of the wonderful recipes you provide throughout the year, enriching our own home.
What a beautiful family and an even more beautiful message. Thank you and Merry Christmas!
Merry Christmas to you and your family. I love your website. The message today is beautiful and it really touched me. I, too, ask why, this soon to be 62 yr. old woman. I will never in this life time fathom the reason for the senseless killings in Newtown, CT. All those sweet innocent lives taken by a madman!!! The adults killed were heros, putting their lives on the line for those precious angels.
No one will ever really know the reason behind these horrific happenings. We can only pray and uplift, comfort the survivors, the relatives, friends, first responders and all connected with this.
My husband and I lost our 19 yr. old son on Nov.28,1998 to sepsis caused by repeated viral infections. He had cerebral palsy and was in a wheelchair. He also had COPD. We know from the first day we had him as a foster son at age 4 months old that he would probably see the angels before we did. Even though we thought we wer prepared for his passing, that was not the case. We had 19 yrs. to prepare for his passing yet when it happened we were just shellshocked. We adopted Billy when he was 5 yrs old. The parents of the children that were killed did not have 19 yrs. to prepare for the loss of their kids. It was out of the blue and I feel so devastated for them. Seeing those sweet faces on the news just broke our hearts. My husband and I are praying for all concerned and so is our church and friends.
Much love to you and your family this holiday season. You are so blessed with such a wonderful family. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! Sincerely, Bonnie in IN. We will have a white Christmas here! :o)
Jamie, thank you for such a beautiful message. Your family is absolutely beautiful! Thanks for sharing your wonderful recipes each and every one! They enrich my family’s dinner table very frequently. Also thanks so much for the stories that go along with your recipes! Love them!
Have a wonderful Merry Christmas with your family!
I hate to say this, but I haven’t been able to read any of the posts or articles about the Connecticut disaster last week. I just…can’t sit and read them. Yours is the first I’ve finished. What a tremendous thing it is to have control over oneself and one’s actions. So basic. But so incredibly significant. We cannot choose how we are (tall, female, gay, Asian, fertile, math brained, whatever else) but we can choose how we behave. We can choose to treat others kindly, choose to leave a place better than we found it, choose to take responsibility.
We can choose to be good.
What a striking thought. I don’t know what else to say but, thank you.
Merry Christmas and all the best in 2013, I look forward to more delicious recipes, I have made MANY of your recipes this past year, and we have loved every one.
Again thank you so much.
Ella
what a beautiful family you have.I wish you a wonderful christmas and all the best for the new year..thank you for the wonderful tried and true recipes..they are wonderful.;)
Hope you have a very Merry Christmas and great New Year
What a beautiful family! Wishing you a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! Thank you for your wonderful posts. May God continue to bless you in the upcoming new year!
Merry Christmas Jamie. You are truly blessed!