What Lesson Can Mass Shooters Truly teach us?

I wrote this yesterday immediately after the first reports of a potential gunman at Northwestern university.:

It wouldn't surprise me if whatever this shooting incident is going on at Northwestern was inspired by these "peaceful walkouts" this morning. Sometimes I think the increasing cases of mass shootings are because of all the media coverage - available on virtually every TV and radio station, news site, and social media platform - inspiring troubled imdividuals to plan their own shooting. All the specific details the media now reports gives ideas to these angry, unempathetic souls, no doubt also motivating some of them by the 15 minutes of fame the news coverage will ultimately give them (something I wonder about since most mass shootings end with the gunman taking their life, leaving him not on this earth to reap in the trauma they caused).

Whatever your stand on these issues, incidents like these do give us all the same important message, and no, it is not to be afraid to send your child to school in the morning. But, it is to kiss them goodbye, because school shootings aside, we never know what could happen that day. Mass shootings should not make us afraid to leave our house, go to school or church, or attend an open air concert, but they should teach us how fragile life is and seek to be a reminder that none of us know for certain how much time we have left.

So, why don't we disconnect from the media coverage of these horrible tradegies for a day? Instead of reading about or listening to the latest news update and giving these perpetrators what they desire, so much of our attention, spend the time with your loved ones. Rather than let mass shooters become the main topic of our conversation, sparking so many debates that wedge a rift between us, ask your co-worker how their weekend was.

Turn fear into motivation. Give your brother or sister a call. Bring your wife flowers.

Make someday be today. Take your child to the playground tonight, not this weekend. Go out to eat with your husband to that restaurant you've been wanting to try tonight. Not tomorrow.

Cherish each moment with friends and family, and you won't have regrets. Always say "I love you" and kiss your loved ones goodbye. Tell them how you feel.

And I'm taking this opportunity to tell all of you that each of you have played an important role in my life and you mean a lot to me! Live for today! No day but today!

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