Making out a Christmas list
Like every other year
Looking up, a horrific site
A screen that’s full of tears

Evil entered innocent ground
Preying on helplessness
Why these lives were chosen
One can only guess

There’ll be no Christmas in Newtown
For twenty-seven souls
Twenty-seven families
Hearing twenty-seven tolls
 
The bells of Newtown ringing
As a world watches in disbelief
Angels called home early
A world shares the families’ grief

Lord I trust your judgement
I know they’re in good hands
But what about the one’s left behind
How will they ever understand?

What about the children
Their innocence forever taken
Memories seen through tiny eyes
Their lives forever shaken

There’ll be no Christmas in Newtown
For twenty-seven souls
Twenty-seven families
Hearing twenty-seven tolls
 
The bells of Newtown ringing
As a world watches in disbelief
Angels called home early
A world shares the families’ grief

My list seems so irrelevant now
Tragedy adding its perspective
Feeling the jolt of reality
Sadness for those left to live

Struggling to understand it all
Familiar with; the Psalmist saith
But why take back such treasured gifts
Sure to test their faith?

Lord please guide these angels home
Twenty-seven precious souls
And help all those forever reminded
…. When the bells of Newtown toll

There are very few things that affect most of us like the death of a child. So I could only watch in astonishment and disbelief when the news broke that December morning in 2012… twenty seven people were killed in Newtown Connecticut. For some unexplained reason, a twenty year old man with a variety of mental issues planned and ruthlessly carried out the execution of his mother, several people unknown to him, and eventually himself. What made the news especially tragic was that the casualties included twenty children attending the Sandy Hook Elementary School. As it turned out, it was not only the deadliest mass shooting in an American grade school; it was the second deadliest mass shooting by a single person in US history.

See Complete Sandy Hook Elementary School Shooting Story

There’s obviously never a good time to deal with such a tragic and senseless loss of lives, but the fact it was eleven days before Christmas made it seem all the worse. I’m someone who’s always trying to justify and rationalize death, but even I struggled to see any rationale for this. As sad as it was to see the news of these unfortunate deaths, it was the young survivors and their horrified faces that I found the most heart-wrenching. All I could think of at the time was; how will they ever get past this? How will the parents, relatives, and community ever gain back such a sense of loss?

I immediately wrote the lyrics to Bells of Newtown that day, while the images were still etched in my mind. As a spiritual person who accepts death is just a part of life, the event left me stunned with a feeling of uncertainty, and like most people I’m sure; asking why? In the second last paragraph of the song I wrote “familiar with: the Psalmist saith”, which most people think of as a quote from the bible, but it’s actually from Shakespeare’s King Henry IV where death is trivialized as inevitable. We all know death is certain, after all; no one has been able to cheat the system yet, but sometimes there’s simply no explanation as to why. As I struggle to understand the Newtown tragedy from a distance, I can only imagine how the people directly affected by these fatalities must be feeling. My heart goes out to all of them… may God bless.

About The Victims:

• Benjamin Wheeler
  

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  To honor their “irrepressible” son who dreamed of becoming an architect, a paleontologist and a lighthouse keeper, Benjamin Wheeler’s parents establishedBen’s Lighthouse, a group that supports the healing of Newtown’s children through workshops and community events. Find out how you can get involved here.
• Emilie Parker
  

  AP

  To honor their exuberant 6-year-old girl who loved to paint, Emilie Parker’s parents started the Emilie Parker Art Connection, an organization that supports the arts with funding for programs in the community and in schools. Find out how you can get involved here.
• Daniel Barden
  

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  Honored at his funeral by the very firefighters whose shoes he hoped to one day fill,Daniel Barden already knew his dream job at age 7 and how important it was to support kids with special needs. To perpetuate his legacy, his parents launched the “What Would Daniel Do” movement to inspire people to treat one another with kindness. Find out how you can get involved here.
• Victoria Soto
  

  Family Handout

  A heroic teacher who reportedly died while trying to shield her students from bullets, Victoria Soto is being remembered through two memorial funds. The Vicki Soto Memorial Fund and the Victoria Leigh Soto Endowed Memorial Scholarship Fundhelp aspiring teachers in need pursue their dreams. Learn more here and here.
• Charlotte Bacon
  

  Lake Minnetonka Patch

  The Charlotte Bacon Act of Kindness Awards were established to foster empathetic communities and to honor children who have offered up particularly outstanding acts of kindness. The third annual awards event will be held on Feb. 15. Find out more about the initiative and how you can get involved here.
• Dawn Hochsprung
  

  AP

  The heroic principal who died while lunging unarmed at the gunman, according to officials, will be remembered through a fund set up in her name. The scholarship will benefit students of her hometown high school who are planning to pursue a career in education. Find out how you can get involved in the Dawn Lafferty Hochsprung Memorial Fund here.
• Rachel D’avino
  

  Family Handout

  Rachel D’Avino, a behavioral therapist who shielded her students from bullets, is being honored through a fund that is continuing her legacy of helping autistic kidsin her community. Find out how you can get involved with the Rachel Marie D’Avino Memorial Fund here.
• Olivia Rose Engel
  

  AP

  To spread their 6-year-old daughter’s love of animals with the community, the parents of Olivia Rose Engel have asked supporters to help the Newtown Park & Bark, a local off-leash park. Learn more about Olivia here and how you can support Newtown Park & Bark here.
• Avielle Richman
  

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  Her parents’ “little hummingbird,” Avielle Richman, 6, loved horses, Harry Potter and the color red. She is remembered through a foundation set up in her name that aims to prevent violence through research and community education. Find out more about the Avielle Foundation and how you can get involved here.
• Josephine Gay
  

  Family Handout

  Josephine Gay never learned to speak, but the girl with the “indomitable” spirit was social, affectionate and partook in rigorous therapy daily without complaint. To help other kids with autism, who face many of the same struggles, her family set upJoey’s Fund through the Doug Flutie Jr. Foundation for Autism. In the past two years, the fund has collected more than $130,000 in grants, which was used to provide adaptive bicycles and aqua-therapy among other activities. Learn more about the program and how you can get involved here.
• Madeline Hsu
  

  Family Handout

  An “upbeat and kind” 6-year-old who loved to wear bright, flowery dresses, a neighbor told the Wall Street Journal, Madeleine Hsu continues to be honored through a memorial fund set up in her name. Donations can be sent to the Madeleine Hsu Memorial Fund, c/o Wells Fargo Bank, 26 Church Hill Road, Newtown CT 06470
• Dylan Hockley
  

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  Dylan Hockley died in the arms of his favorite teacher, Anne Marie Murphy. His parents hope to give other kids with autism the kind of specialized attention that helped Dylan thrive through Dylan’s Wing of Change, which helps children with autism and other related conditions achieve their full potential. Find out more about the group and how you can get involved here.
• Catherine V. Hubbard
  

  Rex USA

  To keep their daughter’s deep-seated love of animals alive, Catherine’s parents set up the Catherine Violet Hubbard Foundation. Find out how you can make a contribution in Catherine’s memory here.
• Chase Kowalski
  

  Family Handout

  An avid athlete who loved baseball and had already won his first “mini triathlon” at age 6, Chase Kowalski’s parents honor their son’s vivacious spirit through CMAK Foundation, which focuses on health and wellness for children. Make a donation online here.
• Jesse Lewis
  

  Family Handout

  To honor Jesse Lewis, the little boy who shared his mom’s love of horses, and often fell asleep in her arms, his parents set up the Jesse Lewis Choose Love Foundation.The group aims to create awareness among children so that communities choose love over anger. Find out more about the organization and how you can get involved here.
• Ana Marquez-Greene
  

  Family Handout

  At the time of her death, Ana Grace Márquez-Greene had already cultivated a deep passion for singing and dancing, a passion her parents hope to make possible for other aspiring artists through a music scholarship fund at Western Connecticut State University. Donate online here. The Marquez-Greene family has also established the Ana Grace Project in partnership with the Klingberg Family Centers to prevent violence and promote recovery. Find out more, as well as how to donate here.
• James Mattioli
  

  Family Handout

  To honor their son whom they described as an “energetic, loving friend to all,”James Mattioli’s parents set up a memorial fund in his name. Donations can be sent to the James R. Mattioli Memorial Fund c/o Newtown Savings Bank, 39 Main Street, Newtown, CT 06470.
• Grace Audrey McDonnell
  

  Family Handout / AP

  Grace Audrey McDonnell was a “girly girl” who loved playing dress-up and wearing pink, her grandmother told Irish Central, and her family hopes to keep her legacy alive through the Grace McDonnell Memorial Fund. Donations can be mailed to the Fairfield County Community Foundation, 383 Main Avenue, Norwalk, CT 06851 or online at the Community Foundation’s website.
• Anne Marie Murphy
  

  Family Handout

  Anne Marie Murphy died cradling Dylan Hockley, the late 6-year-old with autism for whom she served as a teacher’s aide, according NBC. Her family hopes to honorher passion for helping kids with special needs by asking supporters to donate to the country’s largest autism science and advocacy organization, Autism Speaks. Learn more here.
• Jack Pinto
  

  Family Handout

  A die-hard New York Giants fan who was honored after his death by his favorite player, Victor Cruz, according to the New York Daily News, Jack Pinto is remembered through a fund set up in his name that assists organizations that help families in need. Make a donation to the Jack A. Pinto Charitable Gift Fund here.
• Noah Pozner
  

  AP

  The youngest of the 20 children killed during the shooting, Noah Pozner left behind four siblings, including his twin sister, Arielle. Supporters set up the Noah Pozner Memorial Fund to provide his siblings with counseling services, education and basic needs. Find out more and how you can get involved here.
• Caroline Previdi
  

  Family Handout

  To honor Caroline, a “bright-eyed and cheerful little girl” her family created the Caroline Previdi Foundation to provide extracurricular scholarships for dance, art, music and sports to children in need in the Newtown and surrounding areas. Learn more and how you can get involved here.
• Jessica Rekos
  

  AP

  Remembered as a little girl who adored horses and playing with her two younger brothers, according to CBS, Jessica Rekos is honored through a foundation set up in her name, which funds programs and scholarships to allow other children to enjoy Jessica’s favorite pastimes. Find out more about the group and how you can get involved here.
• Lauren Rousseau
  

  AP

  When Lauren Rousseau landed a permanent substitute teaching job at Sandy Hook Elementary School, her mother told the NewsTimes it was the “best year of her life.” The Lauren Rousseau Elementary Education Memorial Scholarship, which is awarded to an applicant seeking a certification in elementary education, was established in her memory. Find out more and how you can get involved here.
• Mary Sherlach
  

  AP

  School psychologist Mary Sherlach lunged toward the gunman in an effort to stop him, and died while trying to protect her beloved students, officials said. Family members honor Sherlach’s memory through Mary’s Fund, which supports mental health services for children and teens throughout Fairfield County. Find out more and how you can get involved here.
• Allison Wyatt
  

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  Allison Wyatt “loved to laugh and was developing her own wonderful sense of humor,” her family wrote in a statement obtained by NBC. The Wyatts established the Allison Wyatt Memorial Fund to support charities in her honor and to help her sister as she works through the lasting effects of the tragedy. Find out more here.
  

Note: Victim photos and charity information is from an article found in the Huffington Post.

See Article: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/12/14/newtown-shooting-anniversary_n_6317228.html?ncid=tweetlnkushpmg00000067