Comments on: Look for the Helpers

By: How to Be a Happier Person For the Rest of Your Life | Bank The Money, Bets That Can't Lose, Bonus Bagging

Mon, 07 Jan 2013 19:59:01 +0000

[...] my demeanor and spirit. If you simply cannot turn off the news and you do hear of a terrible story, look for the helpers. Look for the little bits of humanity that shine through tragedy, bonus points if you can be one of [...]

By: Mrs. LIAYF

Mrs. LIAYF — Tue, 25 Dec 2012 01:09:44 +0000

I love Mr. Rogers, and have always loved this quote. My kindergartener was home from school sick that day, so thnksfully I had him close by. My husband and talked on the phone and wept as our son was napping. He’s at a very small school that only goes to 2nd grade, so all the parents and the teacher agreed it would not be a topic of conversation, but that counseling would be available for children who learned about it elsewhere. Luckily, he never heard a word. I will take a few more years of innocence.

By: Miss Lindsey D

Miss Lindsey D — Sun, 23 Dec 2012 16:22:22 +0000

Amy thanks for sharing with such honesty. That Mister Rogers quote is perfect. Really brings some hope to what can seem so hopeless. Thank you

By: Anneliese

Anneliese — Thu, 20 Dec 2012 19:16:40 +0000

Such a beautiful post. Thank you. There are so many helpers. And there is no way to make sense of the bad, or the incredible good in response to it. The grace and the forgiveness some of those survivors are exhibiting… Human behavior, and individual will, are so complex, aren’t they? I come up with my own ways to keep moving forward but I am gratefu my little ones are samll enough to be oblivious…for now anyway.

By: Amy M

Amy M — Wed, 19 Dec 2012 05:19:11 +0000

I’ve found that clarity is completely out of reach in the wake of this tragedy. I am torn up inside at the thought of those women and young children losing their lives in such a senseless way, and scared for the day that my children will have to deal with this kind of terrorism. But hearing the words of other parents that are struggling with this helps me feel a little more prepared to face this. Thank you for sharing, truly.

By: Amy M

Amy M — Wed, 19 Dec 2012 05:07:24 +0000

What a beautiful quote. Thank you for sharing.

By: Ann

Ann — Tue, 18 Dec 2012 14:29:58 +0000

Thank you for this. My husband and I have just been silent with our boys and avoiding the tv. When it happened I was out to lunch at a restaurant with my older son and he was watching it on the news. It took me a second to figure out what was going on and I told him to turn away from the news but he had already read enough. We sat down to lunch and I had him face me and not the screen because there were screens all over the place. He said to me, “Mom, this is why we have internal drills at school.” I just started tearing up, thinking, “Internal drills?!” He knows this. He is prepared and it just made me sad that we live in a society that we have to prepare for things like this. Thank you for giving me hope to look for the helpers.

By: A Moment of Silence | Pretty Morning

A Moment of Silence | Pretty Morning — Tue, 18 Dec 2012 13:17:40 +0000

[...] Look for the helpers [...]

By: Genevieve Weaver

Genevieve Weaver — Tue, 18 Dec 2012 08:02:04 +0000

The U.S. Postal Service has established an address where people can send letters of condolence to the people of Newtown, the service’s Maureen Marion tells CNN. Here is the address:

Message of Condolence
PO Box 3700
Newtown, CT 06470

By: further reading on newtown.

further reading on newtown. — Tue, 18 Dec 2012 05:36:32 +0000

[...] design mom contributor amy: “look for the helpers” [...]

By: kricket

kricket — Tue, 18 Dec 2012 03:51:25 +0000

“And in despair I bowed my head;
“There is no peace on earth,” I said;
“For hate is strong,
And mocks the song
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!”

Then pealed the bells more loud and deep:
“God is not dead, nor doth He sleep;
The Wrong shall fail,
The Right prevail,
With peace on the earth, good-will to men.”

By: jennifer

jennifer — Tue, 18 Dec 2012 03:32:23 +0000

Years ago, I was driving my (then) 4-year-old daughter home from school when we witnessed a terrible, terrible freeway accident. With my own heart breaking because of what we had seen, I had no idea how to comfort and console the tender soul in the backseat. I called her wise and loving teacher who told me to speak to my daughter of angels. Tell her all about the angels she could see (the first responders and people who stopped on the side of the busy freeway to assist) and the angels sent from God who we couldn’t see, but were there to help, comfort, guide and bring peace. Now, when I face another broken heart (like I did on Friday), I think of all the angels, all the helpers, and I try to be an angel to someone in need.

I also think of the amazing Polish poet Adam Zagajewski and his poem, “Try to Praise the Mutilated World”, which appeared in the September 2001 issue of the New Yorker. Reading it always gives me hope for a brighter future.
http://www.newyorker.com/archive/2003/09/15/030915on_onlineonly03

By: Elsa

Elsa — Tue, 18 Dec 2012 01:58:16 +0000

There’s a quote that I’ve been really holding onto these past few days.

“I have seen and I know that people can be beautiful and happy without losing the ability to live on Earth. I will not and cannot believe that evil is the normal condition of mankind.”–Fyodor Dostoevsky.

By: Laura Trevey

Laura Trevey — Tue, 18 Dec 2012 00:59:36 +0000

YES, there are GOOD people in the world, and we need to celebrate them. Thanks for the reminder…

By: Giulia

Giulia — Tue, 18 Dec 2012 00:09:56 +0000

i love this.
when you look at “lastest news” all you see are therapy dogs hugging children, politicians crying, a man from california buying coffee for all newtown, strangers helping other strangers, kind words and obama holding the principal’s granddaughter :)
we live in a messed up society. but we have good people.

By: Angela

Angela — Mon, 17 Dec 2012 23:20:17 +0000

perfectly put

By: Angela DeMuro

Angela DeMuro — Mon, 17 Dec 2012 21:13:39 +0000

Thank you for a comforting reminder. Yes, there is still good in the world.

By: Pamela Balabuszko-Reay

Pamela Balabuszko-Reay — Mon, 17 Dec 2012 18:58:10 +0000

Thank you for sharing this. I had knee surgery on Friday. My husband woke me up later in the day sobbing. I was in a daze of pain killers all weekend. My husband was doing the best he could with the kids and work and everything. My daughter asked my husband why the flags were at half mast. He told her that there had been a terrible shooting. They were on their way to a party so he didn’t get into it. I woke up today having already sent my kids to school knowing that they didn’t hear the message from me, their Mom, about what happened. It isn’t how I would normally do things. I feel sick to my stomach knowing they may find out from other kids. The school is at the ready with counselors and they have met together as a staff to support each other. They are doing the best they can. I just want my babies home so I can talk to them. There are always helpers. Who knew the parents would need to hear that message as much as the kids do. Thank you.

By: Thinking of Newtown

Thinking of Newtown — Mon, 17 Dec 2012 18:27:17 +0000

[...] My column on Design Mom runs on Mondays, and I knew I couldn’t write about what I’d originally planned. It seemed wrong to write about anything but Sandy Hook, and yet, when I tried to write about it, I felt totally inadequate. I looked at advice from experts about what to say to our children, but I am no expert, and my words fell short until I hit upon an idea I felt sure of. [...]

By: jill

jill — Mon, 17 Dec 2012 18:24:42 +0000

Amy, thanks for this… Mr. Rogers was an amazing person.