It is easy to push tragic events out of our minds. They are sad to think about and sometimes the most convenient thing to do is not ponder over them. However, I believe it is important to talk about tragic events to a certain level. We all have our own problems in our lives. No matter how big or small, everyone is going through his or her own battles. It is important to be there for people and talk through events.
This past week on April 20, while other people were celebrating certain things, a big part of the nation and the world were taking a moment of silence for the Columbine High School victims. Last Wednesday marked the 17th anniversary of one of the most deadly shootings the nation has seen.
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I was almost two years old when it happened, so I don’t have any recollection of the event. However, I was living in a suburb of Denver not far from Littleton, Colorado where the shooting took place. My parents have a very clear memory of it. My mother remembers people having to leave work and my father remembers not being able to leave the house he was working at because he was only a few miles away from the school.
The state and the nation were at a standstill. I was later told all of this when the organization of Rachel’s Challenge came my small middle school in the northern part of Wyoming where I had moved when I was six years old. I had never heard of the Columbine shooting before that day. For those of you that don’t know, Rachel’s Challenge is a non-profit organization dedicated to anti-bullying and spreading kindness. The organization was founded by Rachel Scott’s parents and family. Rachel was the first person killed in the shooting that day. A short time after her death her family started to put together the pieces of Rachel’s life. She had always said that she would die young but would be able to inspire people after her death. This has been proved true more than anyone thought. Her words have touched millions of lives, young and old. I am a strong believer that her organization and her family have made a difference in the world more than they ever thought they would. I try to live my life by the ideals and ethics that Rachel lived hers by. I try to spread the word of her and her organization as much as I can. If you have not heard of this organization or want to know more I urge you to research it at http://rachelschallenge.org/.Columbine is a perfect example of a horrific tragedy turned into a lesson and ultimately an inspiring organization. Sadly, it is inevitable that more tragedies will happen. It is important to talk about them. Do not let them go unmentioned and hopefully, the world and everyone can learn something from them.
