With the recent happenings, our homes have been unsettled. We have become focused on the news and our conversations have been on trying to piece together what is happening right in front of us.

I don’t know enough about politics to tell you how to fix what is wrong with the world but I do know a few things that I have learned through my past 19 years of life, and they are as follows.

Be Respectful

Be someone who will follow the laws and listen to their elders. I am not saying you can’t have a few disagreements and you should always stand up for what you believe in, but take a look at the other side. Think about how they feel, and try your very best to understand where they are coming from. Don’t half way do it either. Really commit to trying to understand who you disagree with because at the very least, they will respect you for listening. Still, you don’t have to agree, we live in America. You are free to think your own thoughts. But respect yourself enough to understand the opposing side.

ALL Lives Matter

Yes that is correct. All lives matter is trending on just about every social media but it seems that is not what’s happening off of the computer screen. Social media is a place for people to say their feelings. It is somewhere where people can join together to fight a cause. But does hash tagging #alllivesmatter help? I like to believe it does being born when I was but I want to make a difference. I want to be heard. I want people not to be shot for something innocent. And I want people to be able to do their jobs, knowing they will come home at night to kiss their significant other and put their kids to bed.

The World Is a Scary Place

This summer I was thinking about studying abroad. I am a nursing student and there are not that many opportunities for us. I was ready to jump at the chance but my family said not this summer with the recent Paris attack at the time. I understood but I am soon starting to realize that the world is a scary place, not just across the ocean, but at home. Right here, in my town, a police officer was shot doing his job he does every day. I don't quite understand how this keeps happening and I currently don’t know how we fix it. But I do know, that police officer has a family and friends and so does the man who shot him. I was not there, but from what I have heard through many CNN updates and tweet notifications, is that a gun did not need to be fired.

I find that to be true most of the time. People have misunderstandings and don’t know how to work them out reasonably. I believe there could be much less violence if we just listened.