Some Perspective on Perspective

I’ve had some time over the past couple of weeks to do some praying and reflecting.  It’s been a natural time to do so given that work slowed down just a bit - affording me the opportunity to spend some quality time with family and friends.

Like many people, I was deeply affected by the senseless shootings at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut on December 14.  With Gail being a grade two teacher and all three of our kids in elementary school, I’ve admittedly played the “what if” game in my head (as I’m sure parents all over the world have done as well).  I wonder if Kayla would be smart enough to play dead.  I imagine Jake and Sean darting behind desks to take refuge.  I picture Gail sacrificing her own life to save the lives of her students much like the brave teachers at Sandy Hook.

Since the tragedy, I’ve heard a lot of people say that the incident has reminded them to keep things in their proper perspective.  That family trumps all, and that we shouldn’t get caught up in petty disputes, materialism, the pursuit of fame and fortune, or any “first world problems”.

While I agree with all of these sentiments, I offer this as we enter a brand new year:  while the Newtown tragedy helped to put things into perspective...I hope to never lose that perspective in the first place. 

In other words:  I shouldn’t need a mass shooting to remind me of what’s important (and what isn’t). 

Family.

Faith.

Friends.

These are the things worth dying for.

Clayton Imoo is husband to Gail and father to sons Sean Isaiah and Jacob Isaac and daughter Kayla Marie.  He has served as the Director of the Office of Youth and Young Adult Ministry of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Vancouver for the past ten years.  Learn more about him at http://www.claytonimoo.com or follow him @claytonimoo