Many Americans including myself, have been truly saddened by the news of the mass shooting in Las Vegas.
Waking up with my twitter feed being blasted by death counts, injured counts, pictures of the shooter and political duels upset me. I thought of myself, my family and my friends. I wondered about what would have happened if the terrorist (yes I mean terrorist) chose a different spot, maybe even closer to home. I was disgusted at the evil in the world and remember looking at my roommate and saying "what is wrong with people."
It felt like the news, even on my own campus, is filled with rape charges, murder, natural disasters and now this. It scared me at the thought that this kind of tragedy can happen anywhere, at any time.
Most of all, it was a reality check for me. I'd been complaining about exams, being sick yet again, normal stresses that come with big changes, and I realized how trivial that all is in the grand scheme of things. It was the reminder I needed that life is precious and unfortunately short, which gave me the inspiration and push I needed to continue to live my life with purpose. It was a goal of mine this year to be positive and optimistic, but extenuating circumstances in my personal life have caused me to stray away from that. I have a renewed drive to create change, as little or big it may be.
As tragic and hard it is to comprehend the Las Vegas mass, it did remind me of the good in the world. I saw it when people reached out to help Texas during hurricane Harvey. I saw it when the lines were out the door to donate blood for victims of the shooting in Las Vegas. I continue to see it with all the love, prayers, and hope that come from the world. My mother posted on Facebook the prayer to Saint Francis and I think it is very appropriate.
"Lord make me an instrument of your peace
Where there is hatred let me sow love
Where there is injury, pardon
Where there is doubt, faith
Where there is despair, hope
Where there is darkness, light
And where there is sadness, joy"
Even if you are not religious I think that it gives a very powerful message that hate and evil will not overcome.