As it usually happens, the world woke up to another tragedy. It was the first day of October, which meant an inch closer to Halloween, but as I checked my phone I realized that 50 people, and counting, were murdered in Las Vegas during a music festival. My fingers scrolled the countless Instagram posts that said, “my thoughts and prayers” or “my love goes out to the families”, and the Facebook reactions to the videos that sounded like a continuous “pop” during the shooting.
I have been through this before. The Orlando Pulse shooting was 16 months ago and I can still remember my heart falling to the floor when I realized that as I slept through the night, there were people fighting for their lives in Pulse nightclub.
In times like these, I know that you may feel helpless and angry at the world. You may be wondering, “why would someone do this?”, but there will never be enough answers for your question. Instead, I hope you remember these few things:
- Take a moment: After reading what a handful of articles about the shooting, your heart will be tired. I suggest that you turn off your phone, or computer, and take a deep breath. More importantly, take a moment to understand the event that happened. Even though you were not there, you and everyone in this world, is affected. Take a moment for a walk, a conversation with your friends, or a phone call to your mom. This will not change what happened, but you will feel a bit better.
- Find out ways you can help: Find legit organizations that are helping the people effected in Las Vegas. Find possible blood banks that are also helping, so that you can donate blood. Find GoFundMe pages that are collecting money for the victims and their families. Call your representatives and demand that they begin to change gun laws in your states.
- Remember that the world isn’t entirely bad: After this event, people may be saying that the world is a messed-up place with no good in it left. Do not believe this. The world is a good place, there are just bad people in it. You are not one of them. Your friends are not one of them. Your family is not one of them. Remember that although this event is going to leave a stain in U.S. history, you can help change the future. You can show the world that love always wins. Not hate. Not guns. Not fear.
This may seem inappropriate, but I keep the wise words of Albus Dumbledore in the back of my mind as I think about the terrorist attack in Las Vegas; “The pain we all feel at this dreadful loss reminds me, reminds us, that while we may come from different places and speak in different tongues, our hearts beat as one.”