“Be kinder and gentler, because tomorrow is never promised.”
I heard those words often during my time at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School. I entered the school as a freshman in 2002 and graduated in 2006, so my time there has long since passed. It’s been a long while since I was even on campus (for a book club visit several years ago).
Be kinder and gentler, because tomorrow is never promised.
Those words have been shared a lot by my fellow Douglas alumni in the wake of the school shooting last week on February 14, 2018 that claimed the lives of 17 students and faculty members. Our former principal, Daniel Traeger, used to tell us to be kinder and gentler during our morning announcements every school day.
It’s good advice. And even if they never heard his words, my community of Parkland, where I returned to live after graduating college, has embodied this spirit after last Tuesday. Everywhere you look, it’s “Where can we show our support? Who can we donate to? How can we help?”
The outpouring of love and despair has clogged streets, but no one here minds. My community members are too busy attending vigils and funerals to be bothered by something as small as traffic. They’re crying out at town halls. Students are walking out of high schools during classes and marching to Douglas–as far as 10 miles–to drive change in our gun policy. They chant “WE WANT CHANGE.”
I don’t know what this post is, if I’m honest. I guess that I’m trying to process my own feelings, which are convoluted and confusing. I live here. I know people in the school when it happened. But no one I’m close with and, thankfully, they made it out safely, if shaken to their core. So this isn’t about me because I’m lucky enough that it didn’t actually affect me. But I think it needs to be about everyone… coming together so that this doesn’t happen again.
We do feel kinder and gentler towards each other. But we’re also mad as hell. We’re grief-stricken.
But these kids give me a great deal of hope.
Ways you can help:
Write and call your senators. Write and call your representatives. Write and call your state and local officials.
Attend a March for Our Lives on March 24
There are requests from MSD teachers for “non-violent” and “uplifting” reads for 14-17 year-olds. I’m asking the book community for recommendations, as I’ve struggled to think of any myself.
A Douglas teacher has started an Amazon wishlist that includes a couple of books/supplies “for the students of MSD […] to ease back into curriculum after this horrible tragedy”
If your heart is moved to donate, here are some great resources (post may be updated as more are brought to my attention):
Donate to the school and MSD strong movement
I’m also personally donating 50% of all pre-order proceeds for Over Raging Tides to the Victims Fund and Everytown. I’ve already donated what I can, but this will enable me to give a little more.
Beside the fragile Everglades,
Where eagles soar and sawgrass sways,
Our stately Alma Mater stands.
And like the eagle, proud and true,
Faithful, we’ll remain.
We’ll pattern after what you teach.
Your values, we’ll maintain.
Hand in hand, our voices raise,
And as the years go by,
We’ll forever sing the praise of Stoneman Douglas High
-Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School Alma Mater
Beautifully written and so true 💕