My heart hurts thinking about all of the shootings that have gone on in America recently. Knowing that I have to walk around my country fearing my life because of selfish people who shoot up places full of happy people is not right. One shooting that has really gotten me worked up is the one that occurred at an Orlando concert on Friday, June 10. Christina Grimmie, a singer who was a contestant on "The Voice" in 2014, was shot while meeting fans after a concert. She was opening for the band Before You Exit. Several hours later, Grimmie was pronounced dead at the hospital.

This death hits me hard because growing up, concerts were my safe haven. Knowing that an extremely talented and sweet artist was killed at her own concert, where she was doing what she loves and helping to make her fans happy and feel safe, hurts me to think about. The band she was opening for, Before You Exit, used to always have concerts at a small venue about half an hour away from my house, and I would see them at least three times every year. I even have several friends whose bands opened for them in the past. With all of this in mind, I feel extremely close to the tragic event even though I did not know Christina. The loss of such a beautiful young girl is just so tragic.

In general, over the past year, shootings at concerts have been happening quite often. About a month ago now, there was a shooting at a concert in New York City at Irving Plaza. Irving Plaza was my favorite venue to attend concerts at growing up. Even though I would never have been at that specific concert, knowing that people's lives were at risk and a few lives were lost at a venue that I hold so close to my heart and that I considered a safe place to spend my time growing up is terrifying.

I used to walk into concerts with no fear. I started going to concerts without my parents when I was 13 years old. I would take the train into the city by myself to meet my sister, who was 17 (or she would take the train in with me) and we would spend the night at a venue. My parents were never worried -- as long as they knew we had arrived and when we were on the train heading home, they felt that we were safe. We were never nervous either. The crowd of people were all there for the same reason, to cheer on their favorite band. They felt like a family to us. People would talk within the crowd and act like they had known each other for ages in those few hours that we spent together. No one ever expected anything bad would happen.

Now, after all of the tragic events that have happened, starting with the shooting in Paris last year, I walk into concerts with fear. I look around and check out who is surrounding me. I wonder if any of these people look like they may have a dark side, may have a gun hiding somewhere. It may sound a little dramatic, but it's the truth. I shouldn't have to fear my life in a place that was always considered safe to me, but it's what our world has come to.

I fear people, but I also fear guns. Without the guns, these people would probably never go killing others. I don't want to make this into an article about gun rights because that's not what this is about. This is about the fact that I no longer feel safe in a place that I once considered my escape from reality and my safe haven. However, it needs to be acknowledged that gun violence is a thing and something needs to change. I would not feel any safer if someone (a good person) was carrying a weapon for protection and was able to shoot back when a person came around shooting up a concert. I would feel safer if there were no guns at all. But again, that is not the point of this article.

I have plenty of friends in bands, friends who are concert photographers, and friends like me -- people who go to concerts all of the time and consider it their escape. Now, our favorite places to be are being threatened. They are no longer considered safe escapes. You walk into a venue knowing that you may be risking your life. I don't know when this world became so evil, but something has to give. I should not have to feel nervous going into a concert. I should not be hurting right now over the loss of a beautiful young artist. I should not be constantly wondering where the next shooting will be. I hope something changes and fast because all of this heartbreak and fear...it's definitely no way to be living.