Sadness

Swollen on top of being swollen. Today I woke up extra swollen. Not from anything I ate, I was swollen from crying. Crying for a precious soul that was lost yesterday. Crying for the little face that will not be coming to my kindergarten class next year. 

I do not have answers to the many questions that are surrounding this loss. I wish I did. I wish it didn't happen. I'm saddened for the world that we live in. It's a broken world where innocence is lost. I often say that I couldn't live the lives that my school kids live. So much of what they see, hear, and experience will make you cringe. 

Grown-ups (teachers, parents, friends) are supposed to be protectors. As a teacher, my job is to keep my kids safe. That is the number one thing I need to do. I tell my kids that over and over when we have our "code red" drill and fire drills. I grew up in a world where "code red" drills weren't necessary in elementary schools. Where we played all around our neighborhood without fear. Kids today live in a different world. A scary world. 

As school ends, our kids spend all their time at home. They lose the stability of two balanced meals a day. They lose the stability of loving, caring teachers. Please pray for these precious children. Pray for their safety. Pray for protection. Pray for them. Just pray.