I can’t sleep.
It’s the day of love.
But it’s funny, what I’m feeling right now is quite the opposite.
On the day of love someone killed seventeen adults and children in a school shooting.
Pictures of students screaming and crying in distress, wearing red, white and pink.
Trying to locate their friends and family.
You want to know the best part? This is the eighteenth school shooting in 2018.
That’s 43 days that have had eighteen school shootings.
Eighteen different people that have wanted to harm and end the lives of young people and educators.
As I was doing some research about gun violence, I came across this website.
I kept scrolling and scrolling and scrolling through the chart showing all the mass shootings, the dead, and the injured in each shooting.
The scrolling never stoped.
Those kids in that school in Florida could have been Olympians.
The next Steve Jobs.
Future Presidents.
Find a cure for cancer.
And quicker than a blink they had those opportunities torn away from them.
I had a day filled with chocolate, teddy bears, and love.
While they had a day full of praying to see their family again and gunshots.
Saying goodbye.
I am so tired of turning on the news and hearing about another mass shooting. More lives lost. More and more and more terrible things.
When will it stop?
Everyone deserves to live a full life.
Meet the love of your life.
Find your purpose.
Pursue a passion.
And somehow every day people are torn away from that reality.
To everyone in that school: I am so sorry for the hard times to come, but it will get better. It will stop somewhere. You are so strong and a beautiful person inside and out. You have so much to live for. You can and you will get through this.
To those seventeen beautiful people: I can’t even express how much you didn’t deserve this. You all have dreams, passions, and love that will never be forgotten. YOU will never be forgotten. Your smile and laugh will be imprinted into the stars. I am so sorry your last moments on Earth were the farthest thing from peaceful. You deserve so much more.
To anyone who has been affected by mass shootings: It will get better. I promise. It may feel like you are in the lowest of lows right now and if there’s so much hate in this world why should you even bother being a part of it but trust me. Live for those beautiful, peaceful moments. The ocean embracing the shore. The sun sinking below the horizon. That one meal that always makes your belly feel warm. The feeling of a really, really good hug. The world may seem like a terrible place, but you just have to live for those precious moments and it will make everything so much better.
I can’t even begin to express how much this upset me. It’s hard to think there will ever be an end to mass shootings but I truly believe there can be, and I really don’t think I’m just a dreamer.
Someday we will all unite, hands together. In a world where humans don’t hurt other humans.
Peace is within reach.
I really, truly believe it.
claire pontefract's blog 
Hi Claire. Your thoughts and feelings are laudable and understandable and I applaud everything you’ve said BUT until the U.S actually control the flow of unchecked weapons into the hands of teenage nutjobs with a grudge, then this isn’t ever going to stop. I consider it too late for that genie to be put back in the bottle. You should thank yourself very lucky that you don’t live in America with their arcane and irresponsible gun laws and perhaps make it your mission as a responsible Canadian to keep a fim eye on your country’s strict and strongly regulated gun laws (as in the UK) and make sure that they are never relaxed!
My heart is right there with you Claire. Let’s be sure to act locally the way we want the world to act. Let’s always reach out a caring and helping hand. And, of course, let’s live well, love always and laugh out loud every day. 😎
Live well, love always and laugh out loud every day.😎 Sent from my iPhone📞
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I am certain that many others are feeling the same shock, disbelief and sadness as you, my lovely wise-beyond-your-years Claire. Your Dad is right : Every well-intentioned human being must act the way we want the world to act! We must never stop hoping that, one day, all human beings will be able to enjoy a happy and fulfilled life out of harms way and in peace. Hence let us all try to lead by example : love, laugh, dance, give of yourself, care in the hopes of achieving a better world for all!
Dear Claire
Thank you for sharing your lovely and heartfelt thoughts with me. I heard Michelle Obama speak last night. Boy does she count on the world making more of you! She talks about people being able to make choices, the choices for hope, and our helping with this world being a place where healthy choices can be made. Like you, she had wonderful parents who made sure she could have the choices she needed even more because she was black and female.
Your note suggests to all of us that we can make different choices to change this world and keep our resolve and commitment to do so. Thank you for being the smart and encourage ambassador for good will and hope that you are out there. Your generosity of spirit is a wonderful gift that you are sharing
I love you and thank you for being in my life. Keep blogging! Love , Frances