Make a difference

After tragedy struck Sandy Hook Elementary School in Connecticut this past Friday, I began to remember the days when I was a first grader in elementary school. We all had no idea what was going on. Even though we were in a different district, our school was put in lockdown. It was scary. Our parents came to pick us up from school, and I was very young, so I couldn't quite comprehend what was happening on the news. It was when I turned on the tv that I saw the chaos and panic at Columbine High School. We found out that there had been a shooting; the shooters, students at Columbine.
11 Years later, a young man named Craig Scott visited my high school to discuss his experience of the Columbine High School massacre. His sister, Rachel Joy Scott was one of the first students killed in the school. His best friend, killed in the library right next to him for being African American. Craig shared with us the kind of person his sister, Rachel was. Rachel was someone who was kind, caring, and compassionate. She did not judge, for she had the sensitivity and compassion that many people fail to show these days. Craig shared her code of ethics with us. Rachel states that "I have this theory that if one person can go out of their way to show compassion, then it will start a chain reaction of the same. People will never know how far a little kindness can go." This is the key to helping today's society. People have become far too selfish and have forgotten how to show love towards others. COMPASSION is really the right word; it is a powerful word. A person who is compassionate has the ability to step into someone else's shoes and to feel their pain. Sometimes this is what you have to do to understand people. If everyone were to step back for a moment, and instead of focusing on themselves, lend a helping hand to those in need, the world would be a better place. This may mean going out of your comfort zone, but you have no idea what a difference a small act of kindness can make in someones life. Your act may not mean a lot to you, but it may mean the world to the person you have assisted. This is the word I cannot say enough. COMPASSION. Reach out and learn to understand the complexity of a person. What you see on the outside is not always what they feel inside. Start by showing love, compassion, and understanding to those around you. When you walk down the street, don't walk with your head down. Smile at the strangers around you. I know that when someone smiles at me, even if they are a stranger, it makes me smile. This is just the first step, the first effort, so make it count.