Tragedy

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Whenever parents bury a child, it's just the saddest thing.
I don't know how people have the strength to bear such pain.
But for me it's especially heartbreaking when I know the young boy and his sweet smile that the world will never see again.

The community always responds in the same knee jerk reactionary way.
Looking for possible reasons.
Like a guessing game..is it tznius? or loshon hara? or perhaps sinas chinam?
Trying to appease an angry god.
Quaking in their pants wondering if they're next.

To me that's just so twisted.

The lessons here are staring us in the face.
Children are so vulnerable and delicate.
They need more hugs.
They deserve more undivided attention.
Stop texting when your child is talking to you.
Stop hurting them by yelling and demeaning them.
Surround them with love..not manipulation.
Create a safe place for them...and they will grow into healthy adults.
If you create a hostile environment for them, the'll spend the rest of their lives trying to protect and defend themselves.

The bottom line is.
The length of our children's years is something completely out of our control.
The quality of of their time is COMPLETELY in our control.

There's no guessing game here. This is the inherent lesson within this tragedy.

Yosef Meir Berger Z'L
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