Charlotte Helen Bacon, age 6, died on Friday, December 14 at Sandy Hook Elementary School.
"The family will forever remember her beautiful smile, her energy for life, and the unique way she expressed her individuality, usually with the color pink. Charlotte never met an animal she didn’t love and since the age of two wanted to be a veterinarian."
Those of you who know me well will recognize immediately why I am so particularly drawn to this little girl. Pink bike, pink bike helmet, pink backpack, pink scarves and sweaters, pink coffee travel mug, pink lipstick. Believe it or not, I was not this way as a little girl. Heck, the onset of my pink persona is only fairly recent, and I'm not quite sure whence it came or why, but I know that I am now identified by color when people will comment on my dress on the days I don't wear pink. Maybe I've just reached a point in my life at which wearing a color that I like, that is cheerful and more than a little girly for someone who has never been much of a girly-girl suits me just fine.
And the animals. When even my husband wants to come back to life as one of our dogs, you know that animals are a significant part of my life. My daughter, Rachel, is the same way, and I think we would both rather spend our days in the presence of animals than with most people, which is kind of strange for someone going into pastoral ministry. Or maybe not. Animals calm my spirit. Those of the domestic variety count on humans for care and those in the wild point to a natural order of creation that is beyond my imagination. I can watch the birds at my feeder or live webcams of zoo animals for hours. Animals are part of God's created order just as I am, and there's something about this that is both comforting and inspiring.
I never had a chance to meet little Charlotte, but I think I would have enjoyed her company. And now, when I put on pink in the morning or snuggle with my dogs, I will remember this little girl who expressed herself in color.
I read somewhere that, on Friday, Charlotte's mom finally relented and let her wear her new pink holiday dress and white boots to school. I'm glad she did.
Charlotte Helen Bacon, age 6, was buried today.
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