When tragedy strikes, especially in our families, it's natural to look for an immediate explanation and the desire to take action is strong. My heart literally aches for Mr Lovejoy and his family, in Eastpointe, MI. Were I suffering a similar loss, I can only imagine my anger and heartbreak would compell me to try to protect others from enduring the same misery. Unfortunately, when undertaken in the midst of strong emotion and without full details, these efforts can be misguided.
“There’s no good to come out of these dogs” said Mr. Lovejoy in his grief. With all due respect, my daughter, the children of friends, my great grandmother and thousands of other families in this country disagree. I've spoken before on this blog about the unintended consequences of our words. I'm certain that Mr. Lovejoy is not motivated to tear apart families and break the hearts of children, but his call for the removal of our cherished and loving family companions can result in exactly that.
As we learn more about the details that led to this terrible incident, I hope that we can all remain thoughtful in our judgements and careful in our words. In the meantime, parents everywhere remember to hug your little ones as often as possible and savor every moment. I know I will.
