In the wake of current tragedies, one cannot help but feel a sense of mourning and heartfelt sorrow for the victims of chaotic violence. The Brock Turner case, the Pulse nightclub shooting in Orlando, the murder of Christina Grimmie and the two-year-old who was attacked by an alligator at a Walt Disney World Resort all summate to one massive feeling of grief. We feel both hysteria and misery at once, and we begin to wonder how these incidences can even come to be.
As a firm believer in fate, it is hard to swallow news like this. This viewpoint would lend itself to the idea that a rape victim, 103 innocent club-goers, a singing sensation and a toddler on vacation were all where they were "supposed to be" when misfortune struck. But the words innocent and "supposed to be" just don't coincide. This is where chance steps in.
How many of us decide to go out for the night on a whim? How many of us attend concerts? How many of us dip our feet into the water on a mild summer night? Why them? Why then? Why there?
The actions of others are unpredictable, and there is no way to guard yourself against the unknown. Does our fate lie in the hands of others, or is it hanging in the balance? A few monsters decided to make that judgment for themselves, holding the fate of others in their contemptible hands - selfishly, shamefully and despicably. The harsh reality is that it can happen to anyone; disaster doesn't discriminate.
We turn to adages such as "the good die young" and "everything happens for a reason" and "what goes around comes around" to soften the ache. These are just distractions. Happenstance would say that action breeds reaction, and that watering our feelings down will not honor the lives lost.
We must do our best to promote peace, tolerance and justice. To keep everyone safe. To care for the sanctity of a human life. That is in our hands.
My heart goes out to you all.