Vegas Strong . . . Find the Goodness

Las Vegas. The place to go and let all inhibitions be free. Party. Gamble. Sunbathe. Eat. Drink. Indulge. Travel back home and then realize you need a vacation from your Las Vegas vacation.

What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas. 

But that is not what happened a year ago today in Las Vegas. On October 1, 2017, there was a mass shooting in Vegas that killed 58 and injured more than 850 people. What happened in Vegas that evening certainly did NOT stay in Vegas. It touched so many on so many levels. Tragedy should make you ask, “What can I do?”

Stephen Paddock, the gunman, senselessly opened fire into an outdoor concert crowd from a 32nd floor suite at the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino. The motive for this horrific attack is still unknown. Just after 10:00 pm that evening, Paddock went on a rampage shooting down innocent victims. WHY? Because he could. Because he had the means to carry out this horrific act. Because he may have had a chemical imbalance. Because he had lost a large amount of money over the years gambling in Vegas. Because maybe he never looked for inherent goodness that may have been within him or no one ever helped him see that there is good within everyone. Could something have been done to make the outcome different? Maybe. Maybe not.

I believe in doing the right thing. To live by the Golden Rule. If others have a good heart and mean well, then it does not matter what color, race, ethnicity, sexual preference, if they believe the Earth is round or flat or if they heard “Yanny”or “Laurel”. But I want to focus on something that we often forget. In the wake of any dark tragedy, we must believe in humanity’s inherent goodness more than we ever have before. It is the only way the good can win.

When tragedy strikes, there are many avenues we can take. We often see that tragedy brings goodness. There were numerous heroes who helped, saved, protected and reassured those in states of shock. I cannot speak for what happened and how people felt, but in this horrendous moment what went right was that humanity’s inherent goodness kicked in. That. We. All. Have.

The question I have: Why after tragedy does our inherent goodness side come out so strongly and then fade as time goes on? It should not have to take tragedy to make humans good.

So it is your choice. We can be angry. We can seek revenge. We can sulk. We can lash out against others that don’t deserve it. ~ OR ~ We can be proactive. We can help. We can re-evaluate our life and discover what is truly important. Never let hate or anger win. Our grief and mourning won’t last forever. Choose to believe.

On this day one year ago today, a horrendous tragedy occurred. I ask you to reflect. While we may have turmoil in our life and may be angry for past transgressions, we all have made mistakes. But that does not mean that you have to pay for those mistakes for the rest of your life. Sometimes good people make bad choices. It does not mean they are bad. It means they are human. But there is also a fine line between going off the deep end and making a poor choice. It is up to YOU to make a change. You can make that change at any point in your life. Just commit to it. Stay strong. Believe.

I want to believe that humanity is inherently good. I invite you to have that belief as well. As others see goodness in your actions, you will be paying it forward and your goodness will rub off on others. Good can win, but we need to pass it on. We all have the capability of doing magnificent and extraordinary things.

“Be the change you wish to see in the world.” — Gandhi

I did not want today to go by without acknowledging all the families, friends, and lives that the Las Vegas shooting have profoundly affected. My heart ached as I watched the news unfold, and my heart still aches. Everyone who was affected are in my heart and prayers. As the names of the innocent victims were released, there were many stories of inherent goodness within these individuals. Hold on to their goodness. xo

#VegasStrong

GOOD CAN WIN!