Not being able to control what others say and do is the scariest thing, especially right now as a parent watching all of this chaos and evil in America unfold. It’s in times like these that I am reminded, that I cannot control others’ actions, but I can control my reactions.

We have a choice right now. We can do what we’ve always done. We can share our thoughts and send our prayers and then let this blow right over our heads and be grateful that this time it wasn’t OUR kid. OUR spouse. OUR mom, sister, dad, brother. But the problem with doing that is that next time, it might be. The problem with doing that is that the world gets to carry on as usual while the families of the lives lost have to live knowing that we didn’t care enough to do something about this or get justice for their loved ones. That is something that I cannot and will not do.

We also have another choice. To ACT. We have a choice to get loud and stay loud and DEMAND that change happens. Demand that our lawmakers enact change, ANY change at this point. They work for us, not the other way around. They need to be reminded of this. There are more of us than there are of them. Remind them. They need to do something. WE need to do something. This cannot be allowed to keep happening.

In the coming days, I will post as many resources and links and likely GoFundMe’s and ways to help the victims and things we can do in order to make the change that needs to happen. Until then, I am begging all parents, teachers, grandparents, and anyone with a heart to get loud about this. Stay loud about this. Don’t sit down, don’t shut up. Act on the things that you can control. How will you act?

To the families who lost a loved one yesterday, I’m sorry our system failed you. My thoughts and prayers are not enough. I am so incredibly sorry this happened and my heart breaks for you.