Three Thoughts On The Vegas Shooting.

 The Las Vegas shooting that occurred on Sunday, October 1st 2017 was one of the deadliest mass shootings in the United States.  At least 23 firearms, including a handgun, were found in the killer’s hotel suite. It left 59 people dead, and about 500 others injured.  (via)

What. The. Fuck.

At this point, when you hear about another shooting, don’t you feel physically sick? After waking up on Monday morning & hearing about the horrific events that happened in Vegas on my drive to work I had a ton of anxiety & sadness, but it eventually turned into sickness & nausea. I do a really good job at ignoring a majority of the world’s problems, including issues close to home. I’m too aware of them & when I pay attention, everything eats me alive in anxiety.

But it’s as if we’re living in a fucked up war movie, in the United States.

This killer can’t feel the energy of the people watching a fun country music concert? He’s looking at everyone sharing excitement together, feeling free, spreading love and joy but can’t translate that feeling to himself?  He wants to end it? For SO many people?

This is scary.

heebie jeebies

I heard a few things that I thought were worth sharing.

One – I’m horrified at this point about how easy it is to obtain such a large amount of damaging assault weapons.  This is the part of the conversation that makes me nauseated.  I understand being able to defend yourself, the 2nd amendment, and owning a weapon. But I’m having the hardest time understanding why this particular extreme type of defense is allowed, or needed.  (Jimmy Kimmel spoke on this much better than I did: HERE.) People ask me all the time if I felt safe in Dubai, it’s time’s like this that remind me why I felt so safe.  I never heard about a shooting, I never saw a gun or gunshot, I never had that fear.  In America, we do, all the time.

Two – As much as I want to blame guns, if I had 25 machine guns sitting in my kitchen I would absolutely 1,000,000% never ever in my lifetime think to use them on innocent people, this is mental illness.  For someone that has never experienced mental illness, it’s easy to say to someone with depression: “Just don’t feel sad, there’s so much to be happy about”.  When someone says they have anxiety it’s so easy to respond: “What are you nervous about, there’s nothing to be nervous about”.  I don’t think it’s easy for people to admit mental illness is such a huge issue that does NOT have an easy, one sentence solution.  The reality is, mental illness is easy to blow off until something major happens, then you’re looking for the signs.  But the signs are probably small, and something most people would brush off.  We have to slow down & start listening to people.

Three – Our lives are precious, quick and unpredictable.  This is why we can’t waste time & why we need to love the fuck out of each other.  Spend time doing things we enjoy w/people we enjoy.  Every day, all the time.  It’s also taught me not to worry SO much about every little freaking thing I typically worry about, let it go let it go. (<<< morning Yoga reference.)  We need to be nice, be kind, present, think about feelings, be thoughtful – Everyday!

Ok, I’m off to snuggle my family & move on in love + peace.  Listening, accepting, learning, & being.

Have a great rest of the week, and please be thoughtful.

Xx

Relax: