If you've heard anything about the Newtown, Connecticut tragedy at Sandy Hook Elementary School — where 20 children and six adults were killed — the pairing of those words will make sense.
As I went about my work day, every face I encountered showed signs of sadness, strain, or stunned disbelief. Words aren't required to describe how many parents around the nation and the world felt, myself included. The thought of their innocent lives being snuffed out as they sat in class was at times overwhelming.
Dozens of times throughout the day, I wanted to take our own child out of school — or stop in just to hold her for a moment in extreme gratitude. By the time we connected that afternoon, all I could do was hold her so tight she almost couldn't breathe, look deeply into her eyes, and swallow the lump in my throat to give her a weak smile of normalcy.
Peace.