In light of the recent mass shooting in my city, I’m going to deviate from my typical (and, hopefully educational) weekly blog post to write from my heart.
The numbness of the past few days has given way to an extraordinary realization that people are inherently good, kind, giving and compassionate. As the stories of the many heroes in Las Vegas begin to be told, my opinion of the goodness of the people in my world gets better and better. The fast-acting heroism of many of the shooting survivors undoubtedly saved hundreds of lives. The tireless efforts of the police, firefighters, EMTs, doctors, and nurses, and other first responders also saved hundreds of lives. And in the days following, the generosity of my community has continued to save lives. Those who waited in line for more than six hours to donate blood, those who opened their wallets, those who offered lodging, transportation, cases of bottled water, pizza — the list is endless and it’s uplifting. But it begs the question: why does it take extreme tragedy to bring out extreme compassion?
Why aren’t we like this all the time?
I remember that, when my mother got the all-clear results from her annual mammogram, she would write out a check to the American Cancer Society. It was one of the many lessons in gratitude I learned from my parents. And when a neighbor’s mom recently passed away from Alzheimer’s, many of her friends made donations to the Alzheimer’s Fund.
Why aren’t we like this all the time?
For those of us who were fortunate enough to be once-removed from this horrific event, I applaud our generosity. And yet I wonder: will we still be donating blood in 2018? Will we continue to reach out to the victims’ families with words of compassion and encouragement? I haven’t decided what I’m going to do in the future to continue to show my compassion and generosity, but I’m open to suggestion.
Why aren’t we like this all the time?
A thought provoking question as always but you are selling yourself short…you ARE always like this, generous and loving. I only hope the rest of humanity can learn to put aside their differences and do what’s best for society as a whole.
I agree with Darilyn. Thank you for this wonderful blog. I think that the future of Las Vegas will bring an anniversary memorial, fundraisers and maybe a foundation created to help the families affected or our first responders as an example. We can keep on giving during and after this difficult time. Be aware of the people who serve, donating to police, fireman, nurses, doctors, EMT’s, security guards or anyone who is there to protect or save the lives of victims during a time of crisis. Say thank you! Tell them how much you appreciate them. This includes the counselors, churches or Nonprofits such as Red Cross, Samaritans Purse and more. There are so many ways to contribute and most of all be kind, giving and patient all year long, not just during a crisis.