Tragedy jolts us awake. We set aside our differences. We stop fighting. Our heart softens just enough to let the light back into the places where we have grown cold and hardened. Scenes of what could be flash before our eyes and suddenly we are grateful. No matter how thankful we are on a daily basis suddenly the faces of those who mean most to us clearly flow through our mind and we remember what truly matters. Our chest becomes heavy, we take deep breaths and hold on tightly to the love and hurt that washes over us in an instant. The yin and the yang, the light and the dark come together as one. The merging of opposing forces when the burst of light emerges and prevails. We pick our head up and compassionately smile at strangers. We speak to one another again. What once made us angry seems so trivial and we lay down our negativity to allow the love to come back. What if we lost a person we love? Would any resentment or anger that happens at times be worth it? The answer we usually push away with conviction gets jolted out of us and we suddenly remember all that is good around us.

If you have ever questioned something larger than yourself it is in moments of alarming tragedy when the series of moments, timing, what if’s and should haves blaze through our entire being as if to awaken us. Even amongst all the pain and whys you will find yourself surrounded by these moments in time. These life altering perspective shifts that could have taken years of thought are suddenly worked out for us in an instant. This is God.

Even in the harshest of times and the most horrible events there will be a light surrounding us. We remember what love is because of hate. We remember what happiness is because of sadness. We embody compassion and empathy. We see and become all that is good about this world.

Love and light to our wonderful city of Virginia Beach.