February 14, 2018 is a bad day in Broward Co. Florida, a very sad day for Florida in total, and once again for America, for families, educators, students… everyone! It is heart-rending…but that is not enough. There has to be a way to stop this from continuing to happen, to course-correct in an effective way! Too many lives, too many futures, are being lost for nothing and too many families, ripped apart. Is it no longer a priority in our homes to teach children–and all human beings–that life in and of itself is valuable, a gift to be cherished and respected? A newscaster read the list of school shootings since Columbine an hour ago–and I am once again aghast to be reminded how many there have been. It is senseless and a sad commentary on our priorities as a society–we need to reach out to those who are hurting among us and care for them before this happens, we need to stop the bullying of all kinds, we need to check our own speech–and put a guard on our own tongues, we need to re-set our priorities and re-examine the kind of knowledge and thought we are feeding children…what we consider is okay for them to do, to see, to experience and to know! Are we setting the right examples for them to learn to live and to respect life? Are violent movies and video games which show kids how to kill (engendering no feeling of remorse) a good learning tool? Personally, and I’ve said it before, i do not believe so, and in my view, they teach the wrong thing and point in the wrong direction. We need to examine where the anger in kids and young adults is coming from… Have we, adults, given them too many things–and not enough of the right stuff–love, good examples as adults, encouragement, hope for the future? The answers are in your own hearts. Please, please think about it–and don’t stop there…