Newtown - A Moment Of Silence...A Time To Be Still

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Remembering those lost at Sandy Hook Elementary School


Psalm 46:10  Be still...and know that I am God.


Today marks one week since the horrifying events at Sandy Brook Elementary School.  As we each take time to remember all the victims, their families, their loved ones, their friends and the entire community with a moment of silence, I encourage each one of us to be still.

There have been so many voices this past week. We are all desperately grappling with how to make sense out of something that does not make sense. Experts as well as a myriad of solicited and unsolicited spokespersons are attempting to sort and sift through the emotional rubble in a hopeful attempt to figure out reasonable sensible solutions, or if there is possibly a pathway that will lead us to a safer way of being. In the fury of it all, sometimes our minds begin to spin with all the noise around us. Today, in remembrance of the precious beings who were taken from us, calm your mind.

As you do so, consider the verse from Psalm 46:10...Be still...and know that I am God.  The verb still (rapha) means 'to be weak, to let go, to release'.  In your moment of silence, let go or release all the senselessness, chaos, chatter, and emotional carnage that fills your thoughts.  Focus on the infectious smiles of all those lost, the missing teeth of the young faces that have filled our screens, the freckles, the curly locks that adorned adorable innocents, the chubby cheeks and trusting eyes,  the favorite toys and identifiable outfits of each unique being, and on the stories of kindness, generosity,and love that were exemplified in the lives of each.

And as we are being still....and releasing...the verse reminds us...to know that I am God. What ever your Higher Calling may be, there is, at least for me, comfort in knowing that there is a force - God - who is in control.  In your moment of silence, surrender to your Higher Power and allow that Power to take hold of the forces that we cannot control. By doing so, at least for this singular moment in time, you will be able to let  go of the 'why', and you will find yourself putting your focus on the 'who' - those lost last week.  

As we leave our place of calm and as the voices increase in intensity and vie for their rightful positions and posture, let us not forgot to stop frequently along the way...and return to those moments of silence. In being still, we honor the memory of those who are no longer with us, and we allow their legacy to take hold within our spirits. And thus, in moving forward, their silent voices will be represented.


"Learn to get in touch with the silence within yourself, and know that everything has a purpose."

Elizabeth Kubler- Ross -  Author & Grief Expert

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