Absolutely there will be calls to action.

There will be fingers pointed.

Gun legislation, or lack of it will again be called into account.

People will comment about how they feel lucky to live where they do, or unsafe and afraid.

Mental health advocates will again speak out about mental health, about silent suffering, about the lack of funding and support.

Governments will promise inquiries, investigations.

Opinion pieces will appear in newspapers and online.

Everybody will want to blame something, or someone.

Fingers will be pointed.

Do I have an opinion on this, even with the bare minimum facts presented in the media today? Of course I do. But that doesn’t mean today is the day to express them. This isn’t the time to lament about the facts, the details or the ‘way to fix this’.

Why?

Because today there are more than 27 people dead, in one horrific act of cowardice, anger and murder.

Today belongs to those, the families who have just lost their children, their loved ones. This day belongs to the citizens of the U.S.A, who woke up this morning like any other day and will end their day with the hearts shattered and their families torn apart because of the actions of one person. Today belongs to the emergency services, the first responders who have gone into that school and seen acts of horror that no person should ever be witness to. Today belongs to the communities, the grieving, the injured, the broken, the lost and the afraid.

Today is not the day to point fingers and condemn. If you must condemn, condemn only the person who inflicted such violence and loss. If you have an opinion, hold it to yourself. Bite your tongue, and spend today with your children, with your loved ones. Go to the park, or cuddle up with stories under the blankets. Make cupcakes, or swim in the pool together. Share your love with your children, and be grateful that you have that time with them. The people of Connecticut won’t get that chance – for them, and their loved ones, hold your tongues, and carry on loving and cherishing.

Every second counts.