The country and our community has experienced a heart-wrenching tragedy of the century. So many families have been impacted by the violent, and devastating events that occurred on Sunday, October 1st. It has been extremely difficult finding a way to cope with the aftermath of the event  that hit so close to home. The community has been trying to come up with ways to help the families, friends, and students grieve, such as the candlelight vigil held for Kelsey Meadows and all the other victims of the shooting. Fundraisers, grief counselors, and gold ribbons with prayers written on them have been a part of the campus efforts this week.

Many students spoke about wonderful memories of Kelsey Meadows at the candlelight vigil. The community came together with flowers and beautiful candles that illuminated the night as they prayed and gave eloquent speeches to console and support the families of the victims. Tears were shed, and multiple news crews were there to try to capture the character of our school and the way we are dealing with such a horrible situation. Over 500 people showed up to be there for one another in this difficult time.

Students have been coming together to comfort each other. Some are doing so by wrapping gold ribbons that have encouraging messages written upon them around the trees surrounding the school. In times like these, grief has a surprising way of bringing people together to heal and find ways to deal with such sadness. It is important to remember that you are not alone in these troubling times, and that the best way to try and motivate yourself to keep going is by surrounding yourself with motivational people who are going to bring you comfort.

When you hurt, there is no book to follow; you have no idea where to put your grief. When you hurt as a community, you come together and you slow down. Kim Fields explained this idea to the journalism class as he watched Taft High hurt together. You have to be the person who listens to what happens around you, be that person who takes a moment to see how someone else’s day is really going. And that is exactly the type of person who Kelsey Meadows was. It is the legacy she is leaving with the students and staff members. It is what we hope to apply to our everyday lives. An event like this exposes what type of person you are. It rips you from what was comfortable; you are awakened with what people are capable of. One thing that Taft has learned is that you should love harder than you did the day before because you really just never know what is to come–be it good or bad.