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Health & Fitness

Some Thoughts on a Terrifying Day

The news of the mass shooting in Colorado is beyond tragic. How do you process senseless tragedy?

I get breaking news updates on my phone. I am unsure if this is a good idea. I wake up in the middle of the night to messages about tragedy. How do you process that while mostly asleep at 3 a.m.?

How do you process that at all?

I didn't know how today. I watched The Today Show and followed Aurora, Co. updates on Twitter, sort of numb. 

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It is so terrifying. It is so sad. People want to talk about society and gun laws. I totally understand. I do too. I'm just not ready yet.

So I came downstairs to see my little neighbor, I think she's five, holding a butterfly. 

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She opened her cupped hands to show me and he flew away. 

"Come back here Joey!" She yelled. Who names a butterfly Joey? That was what really got my attention. 

She waited calmly until Joey landed on some leaves and picked him up again.

This is life. Contrast.

Evil. Tragedy. Beauty. 

Sometimes it hurts, but I love it. 

"Where on earth do we go from here? All I can think to do is what we've always done. We work towards peace and non-violence. We register voters. We create art and music in the face of madness. We light candles. The praying people pray: Lord have mercy. The meditating people meditate. We create Love and beauty as radical acts We take care of the poor, and teach people to read and write." -Anne Lamott

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