This empty blog post has been staring me down for hours. The cursor blinking. But I couldn’t write because I’ve been trying to marshall my thoughts, trying to get my thoughts them to behave, to order, to make sense. Also, I’ve had sore throat–like a thirsty fur ball tangling with my voice box. A lump that expanded every time I got on Facebook or read the news.
Facebook was half beautiful votes of sympathy, eloquent expressions of condolence, and cries for different positions on gun control. The other half was a stark juxtaposition to the typical status updates about summer fun, new dogs, and Bachelorette gossip. But one thing was clear: Yesterday Colorado was heavy with pain we’ve unfortunately had to bear before.
I said a silent prayer as I was walking through Old Town Chicago, which was unusual since Latter-day Saints usually try to pray with their heads bowed and eyes closed. This usually suggests that prayers are said in the stationary position. But Old Town is the quietest, most beautiful place in Chicago–perfect for prayer, eyes closed or not. The only sound I could hear were occasional children giggling as they rode their bikes. With every child’s laugh, I was reminded that life–even after everything– is still good.
The lump in my throat was for the victims of this horrendous tragedy in Aurora, Colorado. My prayer was for the world that we might find a way to counterstrike against gun violence, mass tragedy, and large criminal attacks.
In my life, 3 major acts of gun violence have occurred in my little community: I was in fourth grade, when two angry, bullied teenagers decided to drastically retaliate against their peers at Columbine High School– a school ten minutes away from mine. More recently, a gunman visited my former middle school and shot two students (both survived, thankfully). Finally, hopefully finally, a young man in Aurora… I don’t know if I am actually ready to talk about this one so directly yet.
Yet I know that this is not my state. Colorado is a beautiful state filled with good people, suburbs, mountains, cities and towns. It is rich with goodness and perfection… and so is the world.
I think the most beautiful sentiment that I read came from a friend on facebook. She wrote:
“My heart aches for the victims, families, and friends of the Aurora theater massacre. Please take a moment today and in the coming days to pray for and remember these people.
And keep in mind that even in the darkest of times, goodness exists. Be that example of goodness today.
Kyrie Eleison.”
I am organizing a small fundraiser for a cause that I have researched called COVA, the Colorado Organization for Victim Assistance. You are invited to check them out on their Facebook page, or their website. If you donate through Givefirst.com (or the link on my blog), GivingFirst has agreed to match donations up to $200,000.
To Donate to COVA via my campaign on Givefirst, click this button, and please feel free to share this or the button on my sidebar on your blog.
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| Courtesy of Reddit.com |