Our View

Winston Churchill is credited with one of the shortest, but most challenging speeches of the time.

He didn’t cheer on the fighting men of the United Kingdom. He didn’t talk down the German advancement.

He was speaking at Harrow School in 1941, his alma mater.

The remarks he is still known for are: “ never give in, never give in, never, never, never — in nothing, great or small, large or petty — never give in except to conviction of honour and good sense.”

Death of a child is a chapter in life that leaves the parents constantly asking the eternal question “why.” Why my child? Why not me instead? Why couldn’t I have stopped it? And the questions get deeper when the death comes at a child’s own hand.

We, individually and collectively, need to remember there are chapters in living that we need to rely on someone else. We need to remember we, each of us, no matter how much of a hot mess we feel we are, are important. We need to remember there is always someone nearby. Use your network; take a walk in the park with a best friend, get a coffee, find a place you can be real before the sunlight starts to dim.

We don’t pretend to know the answers. We do, however, recognize that life is meant to be lived fully. We should recognize sometimes words do hurt, at times more than a physical assault, and sometimes words are needed to heal. Recognize the man or woman walking the sidewalk and offer a smile. Give a “good morning” to the senior customer entering the doughnut shop.

Stand on Churchill’s statement, and never give up; no matter how dark you think life is. Be the one who offers random acts of kindness, knowing that anonymous coffee or sandwich may be the one encouragement that person needed. Smile when crossing someone’s path. Never assume, they are having a perfect day. None of us have perfect days every day. Be the change.