Today, I woke up early for work just like any other day, after spending Sunday watching the coverage of the debacle in Orlando. It really didn't hit me until now that all of those men who died simply don't have that same privilege any longer. I then realized that anyone of those Americans that died could have been me, could have been someone I know, or even could have been you.
I'm not writing to place blame on guns, Islam, or homophobia, I just think it's important to give the victims the respect they deserve with no strings attached. There is a time for solving problems and there is a time to take a step back and pay our respects.
People my age always mention they remember exactly where they were on 9/11 and how they felt. But I'd bet if you also asked them how Americans felt in the weeks after, they could describe in detail the powerful sense of community and solidarity they felt with one another. I'm not by any means comparing the two events, I simply think the aftermath of tragedies like the one that happened Sunday are a time for people to be human.
No one has the all the answers and we all probably think we know the best way to prevent an attack like this again. But maybe the best answer is to drop our ideologies for just a few days to look back, mourn, and remember the Americans who were killed and injured. It's important that we discuss later on how to best handle what transpired, but for now, try to live and let live. Remember how important people close to us are and that for many families they won't get to spend any more valuable time with the people they care about deepest.