On August 9th, a horrific incident took place in the town neighboring my own. A 20-year-old young man lost his life in an unspeakable act of violence. On August 10th, the morning after, another young man from my own hometown turned himself in for the crime. Both communities have responded in an uproar via social media and expectedly so. For years, the two towns have participated in a usually friendly rivalry. When it came to high school sports, the two teams versing one another were some of the most anticipated games of the season. With a hype that was built weeks prior, the bleachers would be filled and each supporter wore their schools' colors faithfully. But this recent incident has taken rivalry and loyalty to a level never seen before.

This article is written with no ill-will, simply from the perspective of someone witnessing a catastrophe that is affecting those in her own community. It isn't about taking sides or starting a war. It is about respectively telling the story and acknowledging the many sides of grief. More importantly, it is about the proper reactions that can be steps taken in moving forward.

Last Thursday, the town of Keyport, New Jersey lost one of their own. An alumnus of their high school, a former athlete, a son and a loyal friend was suddenly taken from their small town. He had plans for tomorrow, and the next day and the day after that, but they were stolen from him. The pain of those who loved this young man is unimaginable. As his supporters try to repair what has been broken, they seek justice and rightfully so. Their mourning may come across as anger, and that rage is justified. With an incident so sudden and unexpected, people look for answers, for somebody to hold accountable, for something to make sense of it all.

Last Friday, the town of Keansburg, New Jersey was shocked to hear one of their own was involved in such an act of terror. A friend, a brother, a son became unrecognizable to loved ones due to such a heinous crime. His supporters do not see him through only the lens of these hateful actions; they take care to remember the character of the man they've known for years. Accepting that someone you care for has made a terrible decision is a hard pill to swallow, but for most, it does not change the love you hold in your heart for that person. The town is heartbroken to see their own in such a situation, shocked by the actions and grieving for the person they once knew.

Both communities are experiencing loss. By no means are they equivalent to one another, but you can not measure and compare the depth of people's emotions. With such intense feelings comes irrational and equally as intense reactions. Due to the already established sides, it was no wonder people took to social media. The following days were an all-out internet battle both between and within the towns.

This is absolutely not the answer. At a time where emotions are high, it is easy to jump headfirst into heated arguments. In the midst of people mourning a loss, however, now is not the time or place for more tension. Instead, we need to respectfully understand one another's pain and acknowledge that grief translates differently for everyone. Disrespectful notions accompanied with back and forth arguing will only worsen the situation for all parties involved.

Instead, everyone needs to co-exist with one another, grieve alongside each other and hope for peace. As two communities, side by side, we have to acknowledge the need to do better. We need to do better in eliminating the violence towards our neighbors and hate in our hearts. Tragedies like this one are a cry for help in the sense that we are losing our youth every day. It is time to be part of the solution instead of part of the problem. This can be done by simply sending kindness, condolences, and positivity in attempts to move forward in healing and in justice.