It’s very early, not even six in the morning. I’ve been up for a while. Opening blinds and peeking at two plants I received recently that needed some severe TLC. The only sounds I hear are my own feet walking to and fro and the chirping of what seems like millions of birds.

I’m typing outside, the air is cool and one can see early morning dew everywhere. It feels good to be outside this early in a bustling city. It almost feels like the whole world is still asleep except for me and the birds.

There’s beauty in stillness. I quietly go on my timeline and click on a story about yet another mass shooting that’s happened in America (mass shootings are as synonymous with America as french fries and apple pie).

This time, it’s Buffalo, NY, a city that’s relatively close to me as it relates to the sheer size of this country. The article argues this mass shooting was racially motivated. Like others before, a young, white male has decided to end the lives of innocent black people (two were white) and here’s the shocker: he was taken in alive. This attack on humanity made me think of my son and our amazing time at a local park earlier in the week.

The weather was amazing, even after five o’clock the sun was still out, the air was warm and the sky was clear. “We are going to the park!” Harper was excited and he kicked his little legs back and forth in the car seat as we drove away from his preschool.

Once there, we parked and walked about ten minutes from the entrance to the area with a playground. Harper immediately let go of my hand and began to run towards the playground equipment. The playground was bustling with little people and relaxed parents. There was a mom happily blowing bubbles into the air and children swarmed her like bees to a sweet flower awaiting the expulsion of bubbles. They ran, they giggled as they all tried to catch the large and translucent spheres.

It was beauty at it’s best.

The benefit of living in a larger city is the diversity of people. There were black, brown and white children all swarming the playground, playing together, learning social cues as it relates to waiting one’s turn on the slide or just simply chasing bubbles together.

This is the America I love.

This is the beauty in what I’d like to believe all people aim for-a safe place to live not just for themselves but also for their children and loved ones.

Unfortunately, we are reminded that along with this innocence, evil does exist. People will get shot killed as they do the most routine activities like grocery shopping. When will it stop dear reader? When will we get to a place where our schools, churches, nail salons and grocery stores are safe?

After sharing the news of the shooting in Buffalo, someone near and dear to me responded with: “Do you see why I always have my gun on me?”

This.

Is.

Our.

Realty.

Share your thoughts dear readers, prayers to the lives lost yesterday and to their families. May God bless us all.