My heart goes out to the people of Donegal right now.
Absolutely every one I know has been watching the updates from the tragic explosion in Creeslough and it is absolutely heartbreaking to seeing the photos of the victims being shared.
As a parent seeing the photos and names of the children who have lost their lives particularly struck me hard.
Losing a child is every parents worse nightmare.
There are no words for it, because nothing can come close to describing that kind of loss.
I can’t imagine being told I could never hug my child again or hear them laugh or see them smile.
I don’t think any of us even want to let our minds go there.
Watching the news the last couple of days has had me in tears and I think it’s safe to say we’ll all be holding our children a little tighter tonight.
The hardest part my job will always be writing about child loss.
As a parent you can help empathise with them because you know the bond that a parent has with their child and how devastating it has to be to see that bond be partially taken away.
I say partially because while the love can’t be taken away, the time can be.
All parents want to see their children grow up. To experience things like their first steps, first word, first day of school.
Losing those opportunities and that time is huge grief that nothing can fill.
There’s nothing any of us can say that will make things easier for the parents or the families touched by child loss.
There are no words.
But there is love and I hope that love is some kind of comfort to the people of Creeslough right now as they deal with a tragedy that nothing could have prepared anyone for.
