It’s haunting to watch the news about the Las Vegas tragedy right now because we were there one year ago exactly. My husband and I were staying at Mandalay Bay. We walked by the Route 91 Harvest Festival this time last year. What if it had been one year ago? What if we decided to return this year? O.M.G.
We are the lucky ones. Yet I know so many people who were there. I woke up to my Facebook feed inundated with people tagging friends and loved ones to see if they were ok. Southern California is so close to Vegas, and has been a long-standing vacation spot for us Southern Californians. So much so that it feels as if this is in our backyard.
As the reports surface, there are already multiple victims with ties to Southern California.
One act of anger or aggression that wreaked havoc on a city doesn’t just stop at the city limits sign. It affects us as a country and even the world, and unfortunately events like these take away so much from our society.
Teachers, off-duty police officers, firefighters, and mass amounts of people having fun over the weekend now will be affected for life in the deadliest mass-shooting in our history.
In the aftermath of this horrific event, Las Vegas officials are asking for licensed therapists to donate their time. People are donating blood. Others are there to help in whatever way they can.
We see people making choices to make a difference; to help in the face of the Las Vegas tragedy. Though we are broken and shaken, we persist within humanity.
The good comes out of the woodwork.
Bad is being replaced with those that are willing to donate their time, talents and treasure for the good of the community or even individuals.
As a mom to two young children, I worry about the world. I worry about crowds, events, and yes, sometimes I question whether school is even safe. Yet this event or others like it can’t stop us from living our lives.
We must act. I must act; I want to show my children how to be kind even when someone is not. My goal is to make love my legacy.
My children had no idea what transpired when they left for school the next morning.
I am by no means an expert on how to talk to children about these types of incidents, but I am a mom who cares very deeply about the kind of world in which my children are raised. For that very fact alone, it’s my responsibility to be part of that change and contribute however I am able.
I want them to know that yes, there was something bad that happened (they are still young), but we love them, we are there for them. And we will be a family that helps others when they need it most, because one good act at a time, one person at a time, can make a difference.
God Bless Vegas.
If you need guidance on how to speak with your children about the Las Vegas tragedy, here is an article for you: http://abcnews.go.com/US/talk-kids-las-vegas-mass-shooting/story?id=50230618
