"Good Night Moon" - Remembering Even the Smallest of Joys After Newtown

There is a nightly tradition I never want to miss.  Around 7:30, I get to read one of my 19-month old son’s favorite books.  After one book is finished, he will clumsily climb down off of my lap and grab another – then another – then another – fighting the fact that, eventually, he will have to go to sleep.

There is a kitchen that must be cleaned, a workout to do, laundry staring at me in an overfilled basket, but never do I hesitate to volunteer for this evening ritual.

I met one man today that will never again have that chance.

His name is Neil Heslin, he lost his son Jesse in the Sandy Hook shootings.  He was testifying today before a legislative task force setup to examine what changes, if any, should be made to gun laws.

“Jesse was the love of my life, he was probably the only family I have left,” Heslin told the press.  His eyes were red, and he was standing next to a picture of he and his son when Jesse was just six months old.

What struck me is when Heslin was testifying, questioning the need for high-capacity magazines in certain rifles, someone in the audience yelled, “Because it’s the Second Amendment!” 

One role of my job is not to take an opinion on such matters; viewers have no interest about how I feel on certain political issues.  However, I feel I can say that no matter what side you are on, the very least we should give the parents of Sandy Hook is the respect to speak without fear of being criticized. 

There are no easy answers here, because there are so many variables when dealing with violence, especially when discussing weapons in the hands of someone who was clearly mentally ill.  I feel for legislators, because whatever decision may be made, it will leave many feeling angry and possibly resentful of the process.

The news cycle moves on, and there are days now where “Sandy Hook” isn’t mentioned in a newscast.  But those of us not directly impacted by this tragedy must remember Newtown, even on the brightest of days, because it reminds us of the simplest blessings in life.

True, there’s a great deal at stake in this local and national debate.  No matter what happens, I must remember that I get to go home and read to my children, while so many do not.

“We were supposed to go back and make gingerbread houses that day.  We never made it.  Twenty minutes (after dropping Jesse off at school), my son was dead,” Heslin told some teary-eyed politicians.

Tonight, “Good Night Moon” was more meaningful than ever.