When something terrible happens in the world, it’s hard not to react. Columbine, 9/11, the Tsunami, the earthquake in Haiti, the Chilean miners, etc. Now we’re faced with the Tucson shooting. With each event, people came together, volunteered their time, effort and money, showed each other love and support. Even if you had no personal connection to anyone involved with each horrific event mentioned – you were most likely still affected in some way. We’re human; we feel for others, sympathize with them, want to help.
This shooting is heartbreaking. I just can’t comprehend such hatred. Where does it come from? This young, sick man has taken the lives of a U.S. District Judge, a thirty-year old man engaged to be married – Giffords’ Director of Community Outreach, a young nine-year old girl with her whole life in front of her, a pastor who died while protecting his wife, and two older women in their late seventies. This shooter has also injured fourteen people, four currently in critical condition, including Representative Gabrielle Giffords (the reported target of the attack).
This literally makes my heart hurt.
When feeling helpless in a situation where I so badly want to help, I find that praying is the best way to do just that. In an effort to try and do something for these people (as well as for today’s kindness), instead of listening to the radio this morning on my way to work, I said a decade of the rosary with the victims of this horrible event in mind. I hope the survivors, along with the families of those who have died, find both peace and justice in the days and months ahead.
