Newtown As I Know It ~
Written by Jamie C. Martin of Simple Homeschool
A Note from Jamie: Today marks 10 years since the devastating tragedy so near to our home. My son Jonathan, now 18, asked if I would repost this tribute to our beloved town, originally shared on Dec 17, 2012. I also wrote a new post honoring our town today – click here to read.
I never intended to write about my current location here, or in any online space. I crave privacy and am tiger-mother fierce about protecting that of my kids. But when you see the town in which you live and love plastered across national and international news, the time has come to open up.
I make my home in Newtown, Connecticut–scene of last week’s 2nd deadliest school shooting in US history. If we had not chosen to homeschool, all three of my babes would have walked through the doors of Sandy Hook Elementary on Friday morning.
Who knows if all three would have come home again.
This tragedy hits close, shockingly close, to our home. Within walking distance families currently nurse a private grief that I find unimaginable.
What disturbs me, though, is that most of you are hearing about Newtown for the first time. Please know that there is another side than the sheer horror of what you’ve seen.
There’s the truth–what life is really like here. And though we’ve only lived in this town for a year and a half, this place will be part of our family’s heart, and history, forever.
This is Newtown as I know it:
I fell in love with this small town over two years ago. My kids attended a week-long summer camp here. After dropping them off I would wander–finding a place to write or take a walk–until time to pick them up again. Driving these country roads birthed a new dream for my family–a different type of life that would include fields and farms, refuge and freedom.
A safe place for my children to love, learn, and grow.
It has been that–and much more. You could say that Newtown was the answer to our prayers.
A stereotype holds that New Englanders keep their distance, but this community welcomed us warmly.
After Hurricane Sandy, when we lost power for four days, neighbors on both sides called and visited–inviting us to shower at their house, sleep on their floors, and borrow their camping stoves.
My children roam freely and play loudly for hours everyday outside our house. Once I noticed Elijah laying on the grass for several minutes, gazing at the sky.
“Watching hawks,” he said, when asked what captured his attention. I’ll always remember that moment. It struck me as exactly what a child should have the time and space for.
And it happened here. Newtown–a remarkable place to raise kids.
Though not exactly your typical family, I have never encountered even one rude look, glance, or comment about our uniqueness and diversity.
When checking out dozens of books recently, the librarian looked up at me with a warm smile and kindly said, “You must homeschool.” She went on to tell me of her positive experiences with other homeschooling families in the area.
Once my kids ran out to eagerly greet the oil man who had arrived to fill our tank. I walked out also, and he spoke up.
“Your son said you homeschool?”
As I answered yes, I wondered what would come next. But instead of questioning the validity of our educational choice, he opened up in my front yard about the learning struggles of his son. Turns out he and his wife had wondered about homeschooling themselves. He left that day with one of my cards for this blog, and an invitation to email me with any questions.
Our experience has shown us that Newtowners live and work with passion. I’ve been genuinely surprised to find that almost anyone hired to come to our house–from exterminators, to chimney sweeps, to tree choppers–exudes an excitement for their chosen line of work. My kids have come away thinking that “loving your job” is just what folks do.
Like I said, there’s something special here. A spark. Please remember that as you watch footage of terrified children running from classrooms and of lives irrevocably changed. That spark may be dim with sorrow, but it has not been extinguished in this courageous community.
Continue to send your prayers this direction. Not for us, who still have the privilege of tucking our little ones in tonight–but for those down the street and around the corner with empty beds and shattered hearts.
As for me, I will wake up tomorrow morning, look out the window at the field in the back, then do what I always do–thank God for sending us here. I will change my mind’s channel when images of horror and violence play on its screen, and replace it with images of what I know to be true about this beautiful community.
Treasured and cherished safely in my memory remains forever Newtown…as I know it.
Now you know it, too.
“No one ever told me that grief felt so like fear. I am not afraid, but the sensation is like being afraid. The same fluttering in the stomach, the same restlessness, the yawning. I keep on swallowing. At other times it feels like being mildly drunk, or concussed. There is a sort of invisible blanket between the world and me. I find it hard to take in what anyone says. Or perhaps, hard to want to take it in. It is so uninteresting. Yet I want the others to be about me. I dread the moments when the house is empty. If only they would talk to one another and not to me.” ~ C.S. Lewis, A Grief Observed
Thank you for your kind words, thoughts, and prayers.
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We are praying for all of Newtown… thank you for sharing. Beautifully written… it reminds me so of my childhood days, when times were much more simple, it seems. God Bless!
This is the most beautiful post I have read. I live and teach and raise my internationally-adopted son here in Newtown. You have captured so much of what I feel about Newtown in this post. Thank you, thank you, thank you. I wish you many blessings and peace.
My family and I lived in Newtown for a year, back in the early 1980’s. We lived in a very old farmhouse on Pine Tree Hill Ln. It was beautiful. The town was beautiful and so were the people. I am deeply grieved for everyone’s loss and everyone did lose even those of us who don’t live there. I pray for God’s strong comforting arms to be wrapped around all of Newtown, to whisper into each ear that He is near.
“Let the beloved of the Lord rest secure in Him, for He shields him all day long, and the one the Lord loves rests between His shoulders.”
Jamie,
Thank you for so bravely sharing this with us. It is no small feat to find and share beauty in the wake of tragedy. I for one, am grateful to get a glimpse of the real Newtown.
While we are grieving and trying to understand this tragedy all over the world, I can not imagine what it is like to experience this in your own back yard. While I am able to shelter my kids from the media covering this event, I know you must be dealing with hard questions from fraught little ones.
My heart goes out to all of Newtown. To the families of the victims, and to families like yours,
I hope that you will all find some peace.
Xo.gwynyth
Great blog post! Newtown is a special place! We live in Oxford and we always find ourselves in Newtown! I appreciate your thoughts and well written perspective on the tragedy at Sandy Hook Elementary. Our thoughts and prayers are with our communities as we all find a way to heal.
Never for one moment did I think that Newtown was the cause of this tragedy. It is sad that the actions of one sick individual can bring on the media blitz (and blight) that may make some people think this is all there is to Newton, Columbine, or other places. I pray for those who lost loved ones that they may find healing in the support of those who did not. Your post shows that it is there. Blessings to you and your family, as well as all those in Newtown who now have a new reality to deal with.
Thank you for sharing your joyful pictures and Newtown life. Your friends and community are in my family’s prayers.
Jamie – Thank you for sharing with us about your wonderful town. We started homeschooling in August, and this is my favorite blog. You really do make a difference in so many lives. We will continue to keep you and your neighbors and friends in our thoughts and prayers during this terrible time of tragedy.
Jamie ~ Thank you so much for sharing your heart and your town with us! Blessings to you, your family and all of Newtown.
Wishing you and your family and community much strength and hope during this difficult time.
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I am so thankful that you took the time and thoughtfulness to write this post about Newtown, Ct.! My dear aunt and uncle lived there for decades, and I always felt that Newtown was a special town, a wonderful welcoming place for my cousin to grow up and flourish. The terrible tragedy that broke the peacefulness last Friday is an aberration, not a definition of Newtown. People all over the country, all over the world are shedding tears for Newtown, appropriately. You are all in our thoughts and in our hearts.
Thank you for that wonderful tribute.
Wow. On so many levels. Cannot help but cry as I read this. And feel comfort that you are there in the community, to speak for it, and help it to heal. So many mixed feelings, as a homeschooling mom myself, and mostly just sending many prayers to you all.
Sigh…I understand and hear your heart. Our sweet little town got a horrible reputation from one movie called The Changeling which spotlighted a crime that happened in 1928…such a long, long time ago.
Praying for your town and your families, for the hearts of those who lost children and loved ones, and for the Lord to use this in the beautifully unique ways only He can. Many blessings.
My heart is hurting everyday since it happened… I cry and hope this is the LAST tragedy ever.. Thank you for this post and please send all this families a big hug and tell that Monica from CA is thinking and sharing the pain. I have 2 little ones and we homeschool. I cannot even think about loosing them..it would kill me…I am very sorry that horrible thing happened.. Is there an address where we can send a letter to those families? Thank you go the post. Monica
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Beautifully written! I know your hope is a light in your community right now. Your town is in the prayers of The Christian Church family in Myrtle Beach, SC and we send our heartfelt sympathy and love!
Although my family and I now live in southern California, this event struck close to home; Mrs. Sherlach’s daughter lives in Salem, NJ which is where we lived before coming here. Know that our hearts rejoice for those who willingly stepped in to try and protect the babies, while we shed uncountable tears at the loss. Blessings to you, your neighbors, and friends as you come together at this time. God keeps His wings around you all. With love, Andree’ and Christopher Neal
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Thank you for your words about our beloved little town. I also live in Newtown and am a homeschooling mother of three. When we first moved to CT, my husband stumbled upon Newtown quite by accident, and knew immediately that this picturesque, family-oriented, Norman Rockwellian town was where we wanted to live. During our 11 years here, we have found everything to be as you described. Newtown is a little, tranquil piece of Americana. We will get through this senseless tragedy because we are \”Newtown strong\”. May we all draw closer to God, as He can pull good out of bad. May our precious families find healing, comfort, and peace. (Would love to meet you sometime, by the way.)
My heart goes out to your town and to the families who are grieving this holiday season. Thank you for sharing the truth of your town.
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Sending thoughts and prayers to your community from our small town. God bless, and Merry Christmas.
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Jamie,
We had the priviledge of moving to Newtown probably around the same time as you! A friend from the homeschooling community told be about your article and I said “I know that mom”, we were a part of a local homeschool group together a few years ago. It was so refreshing to hear your perspective a,nd to see how you are focused on the greatness of this town. I too have been trying to live on the outskirts and stay away from all of the media and news. Although my children know of this tragedy we are trying to shelter them from anymore unnecessary hurt. It would be great to get together and reconnect. Email me when you can!
Hi Jamie, I had the privilege of living in Newtown as a child and yes, it is a wonderful place to live! Thank you for sharing this. It truly warmed my heart. Enjoy your years there; I’m jealous. 🙂
I know Newtown. I grew up in New Milford, worked and went to college in Danbury. My husband and I got married in the Meeting House in Newtown in 1996. We LOVE that little idyllic town and have been hurting for the families and the community there. We are in TX now, but I can picture the streets and the gorgeous New England charm so easily. It’s been so surreal thinking of such a tragedy happening “back home.” Thank you for opening up to share. People need to know that Newtown is “everytown” not some scary place that you could ever imagine something like this happening. The unfortunate reality that this has had is that if it can happen there, it can happen ANYwhere. I am praying for healing and peace the families and the community and everyone this has affected.
Thank you for choosing to embrace the beautiful and positive! And, while this tragedy is absolutely horrendous, focusing on all of the evil in it only empowers the enemy. For, he would like nothing better than to be in the spotlight. After all, it distracts us from the love and beauty of our Father! You are right, there will be the correct time to plan protection from future tragedy. But, for now, thank you for the peaceful and innocent images.
-Amy