I've spent all day going back and forth between whether or not I should respond to the tragedies that have taken place in Orlando this past weekend. However, it seemed completely inappropriate to write an article about another topic and just act like everything is normal at this point in time. My heart has continued to hurt more and more as the weekend has progressed, and writing seemed to be the only outlet for me to express what I as well as many other people are experiencing right now: lots of feelings and few words.

I woke up this morning expecting it to be like any other Sunday. Soon after waking, I would find that a tragedy that would eventually become the most deadly shooting in American history has taken place the night before. It seemed that as soon as I tried to process what had happened, the death toll would go up again. I will go to bed tonight knowing that today, June 12, 2016, will be one of the most horrific days in American history.

As I read the continual headlines of the senseless slaughter of 49 people, with 53 injured, paired with the murder of beautiful 22-year-old Christina Grimmie, it is almost impossible for me to wrap my head around the fact that these events have actually happened. And if I am having difficulty comprehending and processing these events, I cannot fathom how the loved ones directly impacted are feeling at this moment. They feel devastated, questioning, possibly not knowing if the person they love is going to make it out of the hospital.

With all of this, I have very few words to give. In putting my thoughts and feelings together to try and form a response, the only phrase I can seem to string together is "I am praying for you." I know that it's very easy to scroll through Facebook, seeing all of the "Prayers for Orlando" and question the genuineness of them all. However, I know that there are thousands of people across the country who are stunned, sick to their stomach, speechless and "I am praying for you" are the only genuine words that they can muster up.

I am sorry that I do not have more words to give, that I am at a loss on how to give encouragement at this point in time. But please know that my thoughts and prayers are with you all. Healing will not be quick, and it will not be easy. I pray that as our country moves forward, we will walk forward hand in hand, and not divided.