My favorite television show of all time is The West Wing - an American political drama that provides insight into the inner workings of the White House and politics of Capital Hill via the ideological Democratic President Josiah Bartlet and his administration. In one of the episodes, President Bartlet is confronted with the senseless killing of 44 students and his speech after that incident comes to mind after yesterday's school shooting that took the innocent lives of 26 children and teachers. I have included both quotes from that speech as well as my "own edits" reflecting the sentiment some of us here in Connecticut feel "President Bartlet" would say if he were here today:  

"...More than any time in recent history, America's destiny is not of our own choosing. We did not seek nor did we provoke an assault on our freedoms and our way of life. We did not expect nor did we invite a confrontation with evil. Yet the true measure of a people's strength is how they rise to master that moment when it does arrive..."   

26 people were killed yesterday at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, CT; 6 were adults and even more tragic is that 20 were young children. After hearing the gun shots, 27 year old teacher Victoria Soto "took her kids and put them in the closet and by doing so she lost her life protecting those little ones," her cousin Jim Wiltsie said. "She was found huddled over her children, her students, doing instinctively what she knew was the right thing."

She was protecting those that couldn't protect themselves. May we all have that type of courage in any adversity we face in our lives. Again, she was found huddled over her children...  

"...The streets of heaven are too crowded with angels tonight. They're our students and our teachers and our parents and our friends. The streets of heaven are too crowded with angels, but every time we think we have measured our capacity to meet a challenge, we look up and we're reminded that that capacity may well be limitless. This is a time for American heroes. We will do what is hard. We will achieve what is great. This is a time for American heroes and we reach for the stars. God bless their memory, God bless you, and God bless the United States of America." God Bless the World! 

Here's the original clip from that episode... may our hearts heal and may strength and love be with those in need not only for the families in Newtown, CT but for all families and people suffering the loss of a loved one across the world.