America. 

I've been consumed by the Sandy Hook tragedy that occurred last Friday. As a preschool teacher and an aunt, I don't have children but the relationship I have with my 'babies' is an extension of the parental relationship. I love them like my own. I forced myself to change the channel from CNN & MSNBC this morning. 

Gun control, video game violence, & mental disease services [or lack thereof] have been amongst the most heated debates since the incident and though I've participated in a few myself, quite frankly the statistics about us(US) and gun violence don't lie. The prevalence of these mass shootings are sickening and it may be time to evaluate the premise that it's more than a gun issue, a Grand Theft Auto game issue, a mental issue, and moreso a people issue. 

As a nation, selflessness has taken the backseat to us(US) being rooted in power, vices, and materialism .. We bicker politically, we disregard our poor, we devalue educators and cut funding of our most precious & valuable assets [children/the future]. I'm not going any further with this because the intention(s) should be clear that we are all accountable for this nation's success stories and horror stories. 

We are connected. We are all connected and it should not take the murder of innocent + selfless children and teachers for us to recollect that truth. Family used to mean something, helping each other used to mean something, compassion used to mean something, discipline used to mean something, kindness and generosity used to mean something, caring used to mean something. As a nation we're not ready to take a stand against these events if we're not ready to take a stand to regain the human race basics.

I've been riddled with sick and deranged thoughts throughout my lifetime. As human beings, we all possess a bit of 'crazy' and no one is completely sane. Through my faith, my family, my friends, my support systems, my coworkers, my peers, my classmates, my professors, my bank tellers, my waitresses, my store clerks, my strangers that smile at me in public, I am able to live in the know that things are/will be fine. Others aren't as lucky and as blessed, others aren't able to relish in that degree of human connectivity due to human selfishness and plight for 'self' ; 'me'. 

When you don't have the courage to care enough for yourself, someone else should pick up the tab for you, and unfortunately that isn't happening ., Enough. The true change and the true issue lies within us, and the call to action can be taken immediately.
Less evil, more good. Less disdain, more gentleness. Less hatred, more love. And since love conquers all, and God is LOVE, less us(US), more God.