This is a letter to mothers and grandmothers of the world. I am a 57-year-old mother and grandmother who lives in a small community. I have been married for 31 years, have two children and three grandchildren. I am a retired high school teacher and am active in my community.

As mothers and grandmothers, it is time to stand up and do our part to stop violence wherever and however it occurs. Violence comes in many forms. It is inflicted by words, the bare hand and by deadly weapons. It is inflicted upon the young and the old alike.

We must enact peaceful choices. It is time to bring smiles and laughter to our world. It is time to stop the flow of blood and tears. We must dedicate ourselves in a united effort to restore and repair our families, our communities and our countries. We are responsible to our children and grandchildren to provide safe and loving homes and communities.

It is time to get mad. We must Make a Difference (MAD) in our world. We must join our hearts and hands in unison and declare “enough is enough.” As mothers and grandmothers we must work to make the world a safe place for our children and generations to come.

Harriett Real

Eastport