Dear Readers;
I owe an apology to everyone. Yesterday I was so upset and unsettled by the horrendous news coming out of Connecticut that I mistakenly published what was intended for “Good News Sunday” on Saturday, I was that rattled.
Today, my fingers still shake as they hover over the keyboard; so much loss, so much senseless bloodshed, innocence slaughtered and all for what?
Because we are linked spirits that are grieving there will be no other post, today.
The premature Sunday post is up behind this one if you care to read it but even it could leave you raw.
We go dark, we go silent for those who no longer laugh in the sunshine.
They have been taken home far too early but mine is not to judge.
A day of silence and a day to pray.
For all those who suffer, your pain is ours.
We are with you in spirit.
R.T.
Categories: The Force of the Horse
Straight from the Horse's Heart 
This is touching and true, R.T.
We who love and mourn for wild horses naturally feel deeply for all the innocent ones who have been struck down by senseless acts of violence.
Last night I sent my sister and her husband, who live an hour from Newtown and who have two fine young boys, the links to three lovely songs that I thought might comfort them.
Maybe someone here will be consoled by one or more of these pieces:
~ Precious Child (for those who have lost a young child): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3c_U0ctrJDo
~ Jesus Loves Me, This I Know (young girls play the violin beautifully): http://www.youtube.com/watch?&v=Y7GiYquglJ4
~ Celine Dion: “My Heart Will Go On” (from Titanic): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GOgBAAa_cd0 (no need to watch; listening brings solace)
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So senseless!!!
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Excellent article, R.T. I wrote a bit about Connecticut tragedy, too: In the wake of this horror, everyone from atheists to pastors has asked “Where was God???” Here’s my attempt, however inadequate, to answer the question: http://bit.ly/12f6D2o
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Thank You BlessUsAll, such a Heartfelt post, , This a unfathomable loss …………… I ask WHY????? Innocence always lost??????
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Merciful God, hear the cries of our grief, for you know the anguish of our hearts.
It is beyond our understanding and more than we can bear.
Accept our prayer that as these innocents have been released from this world’s cruelty
so may they be received into your safe hands and secure love.
We pray that justice may be done and that we may treasure the memory of their lives
more than the manner of their death.
author unknown (The Church of Old England)
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Across the world, tears fall for the sweet babies taken too soon and their brave teachers who tried to save them. God help us.
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I am grateful that you published Feel Good Sunday on Sat– a strong positive message that I needed after the horrendous event important CT. Thank you for allowing us to grieve with you.
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This horrific tragedy happened a short distance from my home. The pain is felt all over the world. The sad thing I’d like to say, is no one is remembering the poor mother that was killed in her home. Yes the unspeakable was done in the school, but she too was as much a victim. Our state and nation will never be the same after Friday. All we can do is ask the angels to spread their wings over Newtown and shine their lights on all the familes and friends of the deceased. RIP little angels.
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I am not a christian nor want to debate this however if one has to praise there god for taking these children to ” heaven” then one should also perhaps praise him for the manner in which they died. Since your god is all powerful has dominan over the land and the seas and has created all life including us then he or it must take on the responsibility of mass murders such as these. You can’t say this is the ” devils” work as the christian religion created satan for if you have a good guy you must have a villan. In truth the christian god and the devil are simply mythology and have never been proven to exist. I however understand the need that people need to some times belive in some thing but it really bothers me that people want to worship an invisable being and then say 20 children are now in heaven , for what reason could that be? Wouldn’t these 20 children be better off tucked into there beds by mom and dad?
I often see things on tv such as when the football player gets a touch down he reaches up to the sky and does this cross infront of him as if to be prasing his god but I don’t see why when he fumbled the ball on the 1 yard line why he didn’t praise this same being.
To those that believe in the christian god I am not disrespecting you or your beliefs so please take what I’ve said with an open mind. Everyone has the right to believe in who and what they want. I don’t happen to agree with the christian views and at times like this makes me upset to justify mass murders saying god is taking care of them. If your all powerful and merciful god exists you might want to ask him/ her why he/ she/ it allowed this to happen in the first place. If all merciful then why were some shot multi times, that’s not merciful that sadomasacist.
I don’t mean to seem cold because I’ve done nothing but think about these people the town and the mass loss of lives. There is no rhyme or reason for any thing like this and I’m sure as many of you are askng why, I to am. I hope where ever these peoples spirits have gone to or you believe they are they are not in pain. I have sat and cried along with many of you. So many emotions, so few words to express them.
In deepest sympathy for the many victims both living and not.
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It was not God, it was a sick person with aspergers who did this. As you live day-to-day, minute by minute, know this – God doesn’t need you to believe in Him because He already knows who you are. The ability to receive God’s comfort and peace comes only when you realize that you can’t do it alone. You are loved no matter what you do, by a God that assuredly knows what your response to me will be. I do respect your ability to have an opinion. That is why I am telling you – you are missing something that will never be as long as you are involved with or think that there is no God. Albeit, you are still loved by God. You have a choice to do things that are not necessarily going to help or show care to others – everyone has that choice. But, it has nothing to do with this case: the woman’s son had an illness and he was going to have to be put into a home – and since this man had an IQ of a genius, it’s not hard to figure out that he was not going to want to do that. My question is not where was God, but where was his father since the man was sick, he needed both parents to be with him until he could be put in a caring environment that the could live in and be take care of. Anyway, your kind words come from within. As do mine. It broke my heart in a way that only a mother could or would understand – but anyone suffered on that day!
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Jennie?! We miss you! Hello from Denise & Robin! Hope you are well. Warmest holiday wishes. Sending love and hugs!
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With your great compassion, I’m not at all surprised this affected you this way. I know the entire animal rights community is in shock and horror right now. Thank you R.T. you never disappoint me
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Thank you for your kind words R.T. Newtown is just numb with grief and disbelief. Just surreal. This horse loving community is shattered and will never be the same again. Please continue to send prayers and positive thoughts. It’s going to be tough for the families next week. I hope to God that something, anything, positive will come from this to find a source and end this type of sick brutality forever. ” That would never happen in my town!” That’s what we thought around here. And I’m afraid that it will happen again.
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Like all in Newtown and the U.S., I grieve along with all about this horrible act. One does need to ask “WHY!”. The same applies to why we have the BLM and the killer buyers targeting our beautiful wild and domestic horses and burros, as well as, the killing of all the loving dogs and cats that are put down on any given day across the nation and the horrible acts to all animals in the world. I also do not understand why all of this is taking place. These children and all these animals are gifts to us by God and how he can let this happen escapes me and I, like many, wonder WHY. I would think that these beautiful children and his beautiful animals would be protected by him. This act and the many that take place in the world is unforgiving. I really hope and pray that all this ends soon and that all perpetrators of all this get what is coming to them. I wish any parent that has a disfunctional child would deal with it — by approaching the law and medical community for help. THis could have been avoided if the parents would have taken steps to put this individual in a place where he couldn’t hurt them or the public. I don’t know how his mother could feel good living in the same house with him and to buy guns as well. Maybe she didn’t know of his capacity to kill, but there must have been some signs of his mental illness. Our hearts and prayers go out to all that have had to go throught these horrible killings. Many of us that are thousands of miles away from those who lost loved ones wish we could help these families in any way we could buy miles prevent us from doing so — so please know our thoughts are with you and yours.
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It’s so unfortunate and heartbreaking that many lives human and animal around the world who suffered and lost their precious lives on that day!
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I don’t know RT. it was very upsetting. I worked in a middle school for 12/13 years. I was assaulted once by a student, harassed by another teacher on a totally separate occasion.
I consider myself lucky. But I always worried that one day one of the high schoolers would come back and act out there aggression.
There but the Grace of God go I. It’s not very comforting.
When I was laid off, I wanted to hurt myself. It was NEVER about school or admin. I was extremely lucky to have a life coach who saw me through those dark days. A few months later I asked how would I know next time to call the hospital or call 911. I was given simple to remember instructions. Mine would always be about making sure I don’t do anything to hurt me.
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God Bless You R.T. You have a beautiful compassionate heart.
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Thank you are R. T. The senselessness of this tragedy is enormously painful and difficult for everyone, and it is possibly to understand in near history how or why something this horrible or ugly could happen to young children. This may be for most of us one of these events like the assassination of President Kennedy, 9/11/2001/Pearl Harbor/where what we could never have imagined happened.
As a Christian, a very imperfect one at that, we understand that God has given us free-will. We can choose to do good or evil. We have opportunities every day to do the kind thing and do it first, or we can do the faster thing, the more expedient thing. If God had hardwired man-kind to always naturally do the right thing or the kind thing, then our choices to do what is right means that we have a chance to act with empathy, compassion, forgiveness, gratitude, justice, or just love.
We’ve all seen many faces and many faceless acts of evil enacted upon the innocent if we rescue, or advocate for the voiceless, and sometimes it seems we see it so much that we could get desensitized to it, but yet this horrible, violent act, our ability to put ourselves in the shoes of the teachers, the children, the families, the communities, the law enforcement officers, who can not escape this nightmare, and feel their pain desperately deep inside our own hearts reminds us that in spite of the horrors we have seen unnecessarily visited upon our wild and domestic spirits, we have not become hardened, cold or indifferent, but instead, ache deeply in our souls for these innocent little angels and the brave adults who tried their best to save them.
As horrible as this is, I am also reminded of the courage and great love that the adults in this school had that they were willing to die to protect these little ones. I see the community coming together to be present for one another and I am reminded that despite the forces of evil that surround us even when we are not aware of how very close they are, there are many extraordinary brave and loving people. Our hearts weep for these families, and we pray for God’s comfort for them and for our nation.
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Heart wrenching, so evil and selfish of this punk to kill innocent children and adults. Oh, the tears for these families and beautiful lives lost because of an evil mind set. God Bless all of our loved ones lost and may God place your angels in his heavenly care now and forever more. We must become more compassionate and teach one another of love and care. We are loosing our ability to choose between right actions and wrong actions. This was barbaric, just like taking our wild horses and killing them all so they never can be free to live as God intended them to be. We will fight like hell to keep the punks in government and thugs from creating extinct species. Man is an awful creature at times. We must continue to believe in God almighty that freedom reigns. I just sang the first half of the Messiah today and reflected on so many humans and animals going through anguish now. It is powerful. Thank you God for my beautiful voice. What a blessing.
We must bring our strong faith to continue and believe we can help our families human and animal become one in the spirit of freedom. Speak out, hear us O, Lord God almighty, amen. Lift our spirits and rise up warriors. Trust and believe, protect and defend, Thank you R.T. and Terry. Love you both. What gifts we have in you my friends so dear. Many of you out there are special. Share your love and faith always. Go out and share with the world. So many need to believe and are lost.
They need to find the Sheep. Round in the flock and protect them from evil Lord.
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This man had aspergers and an IQ of a genius. It doesn’t take much to figure out that both parents needed to be attentive to this man 24/7 until he could be put in an environment that would and could help him. As a parent, I can understand the mother’s reluctance to send him to a place that he would never be able to leave. It is heart breaking to know that not only were these children taken so very young, but the mental state of this man had deteriorated to the point that he couldn’t have compassion or had enough mental capacity to even know that what he was doing was very evil. The suicide was a way for him to leave without being put into an institution. These beautiful babies, and they were all just babies, suffered the most brutal death I have ever heard of since studying about such things as holocaust of American Indians and Jews. But, there are no words of consolation to the parents as they will never “get better or get past” this. This is forever and will never be healed. One day at a time. I watched and prayed with them during the live candle light vigil. I pray for the families and the friends; and I pray that this sort of thing never happens again. If we look at what is happening in the world, the terror just came home and took these beautiful babies from the loving arms of their parents and the world is mourning. I am broken. It is too hard. But, to carry some of the pain that these parents and friends have, I am going to shoulder it and pray. Pray. And, know that these people are safe now, knowing that they have seen the face of God and are protected from any harm. As the angels, they too will be always in heaven, a place that is to wonderful for our imaginations to understand. But, the pain for the families and the friends is still there. Our pain; our grief; and our prayers that the parents and their friends and us will receive comfort from the Holy Spirit during these hardest of times.
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R.T., You are a man of true compassion, as we all know, and an inspiration to all of us who want to help the horses. This senseless tragedy is beyond my comprehension and was not the work of God, but of man. I am not going to get into religion here but wish to share a few things.. I lost a son years ago, and it is something that you never completely heal from. It was not through this horrific type of violence, but I would never wish it on anyone…life is never the same. But it brought me back to horses and their magical power to heal. I love all animals, but there is something truly unique about horses and how intuitive and sensitive they are. This is why I try to stay involved with the fight on horse slaughter. They do not deserve this, as they have given and continue to give with all of their hearts. I also became involved as a volunteer with a local therapeutic riding program and it was amazing! We worked with children and adults with various physical and mental handicaps, through no fault of their own. Many were diagnosed with Aspergers Syndrome or various stages of Autism. I would caution everyone not to generalize nor categorize these people, as each situation is truly unique. Once again, I saw horses who knew that they were doing something very special and carrying precious cargo on their backs.. I witnessed children and adults laughing and beaming with a new sense of confidence. A few of our equine clowns acted up with us, but never, ever with a client. They are so amazing and intelligent! Horses have given me the strength to try to heal and move on with my life. I cannot imagine what the families in Connecticut are going through……. my heart goes out to them…….
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Dear Marrisa , What the horses through a special instinct have bestow upon us is a gift of such magnitude it cannot be denied, or disputed, I have witnessed their Magic many times , it is something that we can only be in awe of…….,The Peace and Freedom that they need is only a small Thank You beautiful Wonder !!!!! The Mystical magic they poccess , can only be admired never captured ””’ and something you will always be ever Thankful for…………………………
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