In light of the past events that have taken place these past several weeks in Orlando, I think it is in relevant time that I write an article like this one.
Christina Grimmie tweeted the following tweet on February 21, 2013:
"Sometimes God allows terrible things to happen in your life and you don't know why. But that doesn't mean you should stop trusting Him."
Now, clearly, Grimmie's faith in God was unwavering without a doubt, but even if we take away God from this quote, her words still hold the same value.
People will come and go, tragedies will happen, there will devastation, horror, and unsightly disasters that will still come. So what do we do? Do we live in fear? Do we try and fight the unexpected? Do we lose sight of the values we hold so dear because we do not know whether one day we will be prosecuted for our beliefs?
The answer to all of these questions is no. Everyone, regardless of who they are, has a purpose and a story to tell. We do not know where our path will take us, or how our story will go, or where it might end. The most important thing to have in you is the perseverance to fight through and live on the way YOU as an individual choose. The story we tell and the marks we make in this time is not one anyone should take for granted. Like Christina Grimmie once said, terrible things will and do happen but we don't have to live in fear of the unknown.
Am I saying that Christina Grimmie's words are the only thing we should follow in life? No. My logic is this; if you constantly live your daily life wondering why the tragedies that have occurred in your life continue to happen, are you really going to enjoy those days that you have?
I say mourn for those who have past and fight for the future they would want. I say break through the barrier of fear and walk down the path of confidence and satisfaction. I say find yourself because it is not hard to wrap ourselves in a loom of misery and sadness and miss all the life waiting beyond.
To all the lives that have been lost in the recent Orlando shooting, my heart goes out to the families who's loved one's were lost. To those who have survived, may you continue your battle as I stand beside you. To those who fight the prejudicial battle, continue to stand as you have and allow yourselves to live as you see fit.
To Christina Grimmie, whose talent and tender demeanor will never be forgotten, yes you are gone forever, but your legacy and your name will always have a small part of every heart that you touched.