I Know What We Can Do

In the aftermath of one of the most atrocious massacres we've ever seen, there has been a lot of talk. Talk of gun control. Talk of mental illness. Talk of family values. We all, understandably, want to figure out what we could have done to prevent something like this from happening, and what we can do to make sure it never happens again.

The awful truth is that we don't have any answers. And even more awful is the notion that no matter what we do, we probably can't completely prevent these violent outbursts from occurring, though we may be able to make them less deadly. We are going to continue talking for some time, and I do sincerely hope that we come up with some viable options to help us deal with all of the problems this massacre has forced us to identify.

But that still leaves me with the question - what can I do? Right now. I want to do something. I've been racking my brain trying to figure this out. And it finally hit me. We are reacting to something specific. And in doing so, we have missed a bigger picture. We are focusing on preventing the kind of senseless death that we have very, very little control over. It makes sense that in the wake of something this horrifying that would be our reaction. But, there are people that die senselessly in this country every day because of things that we actually could have prevented. Easily. I think the best thing we can do to honor the victims of Sandy Hook Elementary School is vow not to throw life away for no reason. If this nightmare has taught me anything it is how very precious our lives really are. I think every time we think of those children and the teachers who died with them, we should make a pledge to never take our own lives for granted:

I will not drink and drive.
I will not let my friends drink and drive.
I will not text and drive.
I will wear a helmet on any two-wheeled vehicle.

Maybe we even think long-term and consider:

I will take care of my cholesterol.
I will take care of my blood pressure. 
I will exercise.
I will check the batteries in my smoke alarm.
I will (try to) quit smoking
I will not go to tanning salons

Would love for you to add to this list in the comments.

Death is all around us, every day. So much of it can be prevented. It is a devastating reality (and that is putting it mildly) that a psychopath with a gun can destroy dozens of lives in a matter of minutes. I will never be able to accept this, as long as I live. And I will continue to encourage and participate in the conversation to help limit the casualties in situations like the one in Newtown, CT. But in the meantime, let's all promise to try and eliminate the preventable deaths we deal with on a regular basis. Let's take control of the things that are actually within our power. Let's take care of ourselves and each other. Let's show the world that we really do value life, and that we are making an effort to preserve it. It's the least we can do.