On February 14th, a day dedicated to love, one of the largest mass shootings to have ever occurred in the United States transpired at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, FL.
As of February 15th, the day I am writing this article, 17 have been reported dead, with an additional 14 wounded. Many of these wounded individuals have life-threatening injuries.
"Horrible" doesn't even begin to describe the actions of the shooter, Nikolas Cruz.
"Heart-breaking" isn't a strong enough word to explain the consequences of those actions.
Is it important to discuss issues regarding gun laws and school safety? Yes, of course, it is. These two things do have a direct correlation to what has occurred here in my home state; however, the main thing we absolutely must take away from this situation, and others like it, is to make every day count.
Things like this should not occur on our planet - not in the 21st century. But they do. And unfortunately, with the way our world is today, they will continue to.
It's easy to blame these situations on one factor. But there is always more to something than just one part.
Terrible things happen in this world, and a lot of the time, there is nothing we can do to stop them. Where there is a will, there is a way. And the sad truth is that sometimes people have a will to do awful, disturbing things.
This is why people need to take advantage of the time they have been given on this earth; you never know when it is going to be your last day. Life is too unpredictable.
Tragedies like this one take the lives of innocent people. Nobody deserves to have their lives ripped from them from one second to the next. The family members of these victims do not deserve to have their loved ones buried in the ground so soon. The students and staff within Stoneman Douglas should not have to have the images of dead bodies etched in their brains for the rest of their lives.
The days we have been granted to live on this planet are limited. There is no telling when your final day will come.
For the victims of this terrible tragedy: you are in a better place now.
For the loved ones of those victims: my thoughts and prayers go out to you.
For those who are currently laying in hospital beds: continue to fight.
For the individuals who had to endure such a terrifying school day: may you know the world is not always a bad place.
Let yet another tragic event like this one affect how you live your life. Let it show you that it is vital to be grateful for every second you have. Allow it to push you to be kind, caring, and giving.
Let it serve as a reminder to make every day count.