Campus shootings remind us to live with empathy

Oct. 12, 2015

Scribe Staff
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There have been two shootings at college campuses in the past two weeks; one at Umpqua Community College on Oct. 1 and one at Northern Arizona University on Oct. 9.

It would be wrong to tell you to not be scared or worried. It is unfortunately not always a shock when we hear about a shooting.

It would be untrue to say we are completely immune to such an occurrence.

But there are certain ways that we can approach acts like this to remind us to live our lives with empathy and care for each other.

We are relieved when a shooting does not take place at our school, but just because it did not happen near us doesn’t mean we shouldn’t care.

We need to.

Don’t let the “bad guys” win. Even though campus shootings are quickly becoming a trend, don’t let the fear of one happening here creep into the way you live your daily life.

Don’t focus on the evil intent that is behind these horrendous acts. The greatest triumph of evil is to distract people from good.

Remember all the positives that have been and continue to be accomplished in your lives and the lives of those around you. Bring those memories and experiences to the forefront when you feel evil creeping in.

When these evil instances come to the forefront of your mind, don’t give the perpetrator of an evil deed a second thought. They are not worth the attention. Instead, remember the heroes that stood up and took action.

Remember the light the dark worked so hard to snuff out. In the end, light always burns out the evil that tries to smother it, like a blanket of paper that tries to snuff out a flame.

We must care, we must have empathy for each other and for ourselves.

There is nothing more human than human tragedy; it hits us down to the core. Empathy, in the end, is key to who we are and how we should approach life.

Hug your loved ones and remember what brings us together.