Horrific Act

My local ABC station did not air GH today because for those of you who don't know, I live in Colorado.  Today, GH is probably one of the farthest things from all of our minds.  I do not live in Aurora but I do live in the Denver area.  Aurora is an eastern suburb.  Everyone in this state who flies out of DIA has driven through Aurora.  It is a large suburb that, honestly, has not been without its issues of crime and other issues that are in the local news here and there.  But overall is it not a violent place.  It is not a place you would think would ever have such a horrible crime take place.  I know people who live in Aurora, who raise their kids there and shop in the stores.  It is just another town, until now.  Until the midnight showing of a movie changed that city's history forever. 

I have lived in CO for 10 years. I moved here after Columbine but people still talk about it.  It is something we all know about.  We will never forget it.  I don't live in Littleton but every time I think about how that community has never completely healed and probably never will.  After I moved here there was a horrible high school hostage crisis near Conifer where one girl was killed and we all remember that too.   Every time something like this happens we always ask our self 'WHY?'.  It doesn't make sense why someone would do  this to so many people.  We can't comprehend it.  But it makes you realize life is fragile and fleeting.  It reminds you to focus on the big picture and be thankful for your loved ones.  It reminds you there are crazy people everywhere even in movie theaters and walking the halls of a local high school. 

The more I talk to people today in my northwest suburb the more I learn at least someone I know knows someone who either knew a victim or someone who was shot.  The number is up to 71 shot and 12 died and out of the 71 shot 16 in critical condition.  The numbers are frightening and horrifying .   I heard on the local news someone say they didn't live here during Columbine but they remembered the name of the shooters but not the victims. They wanted us to learn the name of the victims and remember them.  I encourage you to remember the names of victims not the shooter.  Don't give him the 15 minutes of fame he is looking for.  Don't glorify his act by giving him attention.  Think of the victims and think of their families.  Think of those mothers and fathers who won't ever hear from their teenage daughter or those families who went to the movies together and were trapped in the theater.  Think of the young, think of the old, think of all the ones in between.  I encourage you today to think of those lost and think of how we can prevent something like this happening again. 

Today take a break from GH, believe me it has been horrible to watch anyway.  GH is not what it used to be so today just take a break from it and all those other things that aren't truly important in the grand scheme of things.   Today think of the bigger picture.  We look to GH to escape, trust me today I wish there was a way to escape all this horror but we can't.  So think and remember and pray for a world where it is safe to go to the movies and go to high school and to walk down the street.  Pray for the families, friends and loved ones of these victims and hope for a brighter future.