April 20, 2009 marked the tenth memorial
of the Columbine massacre. Some call it an anniversary, but that word
suggests celebration, and the events at Columbine leave little to
celebrate.
Do we celebrate the hundreds who lived, or do we remember the thirteen who died? Do we celebrate the injured who
have gone on to get married and have families, or do we remember
those who never did? Do we declare victory or defeat? Do we commend the five Columbine
survivors who have gone on to become Columbine teachers? The family
and friends who have gone on to spread a message of peace and hope in
programs such as Rachel’s Challenge? Those who have found a way to
better the world through their grief? We should, yes, we should.
Survivors are not born, they are
made. A survivor isn’t always someone who actually took a bullet,
or looked death directly in the face. A survivor is someone who has
seen the worst that humanity has to offer and still finds a way to
keep believing that there is still hope.
There has been enough hate, enough
anger, enough pain and sorrow for many lifetimes. A true survivor
seeks not to spread their pain further, but to heal. Even those who
simply went on to become loving spouses and parents, who promised
that the violence ended with them, did their part; they did more than
most of us will ever do in a lifetime.
A survivor does not become a survivor
without first being damaged. When you have had a glimpse of hell,
heaven becomes all the more beautiful. The life of another only
becomes precious when you have accepted how fragile life really is. A
survivor is someone who has been damaged, yet still picks themselves
up and finds a way to go on.
Yes, there were survivors, and they
didn’t merely survive Columbine, they have had the courage to
survive every day since. Yet, ten years later we must also ask,
did we learn the lessons that were presented to us on that day?
Did parents teach their children to love
instead of hate, to reach out instead of judge? Have they made the effort to listen to their children and be involved in their lives? Have
they been able to put selfish desires aside and focus on raising the
children they agreed to be responsible for?
Have teachers and staff learned to watch
for those red flags and catch them before it is too late? Have they
stepped in when they saw bullying and favoritism and taken the time
to listen to a troubled child?
Has the media taken their responsibility
for the violence in our society? Have they stopped chasing
sensational stories, and parading them in front of us day in and day
out? Have they taken their responsibility for elevating those who
have come before to martyrdom, and continuing the cycle?
Have all of us done all that we can to
ensure that our children, our schools, and our communities are safe?
Have any new laws been passed that might prevent further tragedy? Did
we learn to put ourselves aside, to develop compassion for our fellow
man?
Have we stepped forward? Have we made
progress? Have we learned anything? I hope so.
To all the survivors out there, no
matter who you are. Thank you! To the rest of us, we can do better.
Would you like to know more about
the Columbine survivors and where they are today? Read
on at Squidoo...
