As a  former teacher (whose worst classroom problems were so minor I can't even remember what they were), I am, along with everyone else, horrified  every time I hear of another crazed shooter  killing children.

All these dead children, all their murdered dreams and loves!  The devastating impact on their siblings and parents and grandparents and friends!

I keep seeing one girl who survived yesterday's tragedy.  She's standing in the school yard holding a giant teddy bear, apparently brought to her by one of her parents for comfort.  The teenager is looking intently at the big brown face of her bear, girls around her on their phones, probably calling their parents.  What this girl has seen and experienced she can never un-see, un-know.

Everyone wants to name one cause of all this mayhem, all the repeated mass murders.  Is it the ease of availability of guns? Mental illness?  Violence in the media?

In a year of 18 school killings in America in six week, the phrase of politicians--"thoughts and prayers"--has lost its meaning. These killers are kids who in so many cases have posted videos and social media messages that they like to hurt animals and people.  This one said his dream was to become a "professional school shooter."  It's way too late for "thoughts and prayers."

Nothing is wasted in the realm of compassion, but what tangible things can be done to stop this American nightmare?

As a mother and grandmother, I do what we all do: imagine what it would be like if one of those children were one of mine.  The impact of all these senseless deaths hits all who've loved our children since the moment we first heard they were in utero, from the days we first celebrated their births, through all their years of school, sports, music concerts, report cards, and birthday parties.  What a terrible atrocity!