It was twelve o’ clock at the Century 16 movie theater in Aurora Colorado when families and friends packed into the movie theater for the much-anticipated Batman sequel. The large cinematic room smelled like popcorn, and fans of the series; the ones who dressed up like characters from the film, as well as the slightly less-dedicated, chatted happily about the film that was about to start. If you’ve ever been to a midnight showing, like I have, you can imagine the excitement mounting. The midnight showing means that you're special, it means your one of the first to see the heroic saga unfold.. Instead, what the audience witnessed was a real-life nightmare.
I can almost imagine sitting in that theater watching the movie intently. And I can almost feel the horror when a man called James Holmes strode into the front of the theater, clothed in a gas mask and bulletproof vest, and threw two smoke canisters down the aisle before opening firing on the audience members. The only word to describe James Holmes as he calmly began to shoot at random people in the crowd, including a 3-month-old boy, is “evil”. My heart struggles to comprehend how a human being can be so cruel, selfish, and demonic. By 12:30, 10 people had died and 61 people were seriously injured, over the next night, two more died.
When I hear stories like this, my heart feels sick. I think back and remember what I was doing from 12-12:30; surfing the internet. Something small, something unimportant, something those 12 victims will never be able to do again. I think the reason this hit me so hard, is because it was so unexpected, what about all of the dreams that those people had? Whenever a tragedy like this happens, part of me always asks; “What if”. What if I had been in that theater with my family? The thought sends shivers down my spine. It could happen. It reminds me how wonderful and beautiful the gift of life is.
Jessica Redfield, a 24-year-old aspiring sports writer, asked herself the same question a month before she went to the Colorado midnight premiere. In her blog, “A Run on Thoughts”, she describes the near-death experience she encountered only a month ago when she went to get susi at the mall.
“When I arrived at the Eaton Center mall, I walked down to the food court and spotted a sushi restaurant. Instead of walking in, sitting down and enjoying sushi, I changed my mind, which is very unlike me, and decided that a greasy burger and poutine would do the trick. I rushed through my dinner.”
Jessica explains that after this strange change of plans, she found out that if she had chosen Sushi, she would have been right in the middle of a tragic mall shooting that happened only minutes after she was done eating. She goes on to finish her blog post with these inspiring words:
“I say all the time that every moment we have to live our life is a blessing. So often I have found myself taking it for granted. Every hug from a family member. Every laugh we share with friends. Even the times of solitude are all blessings. Every second of every day is a gift. After Saturday evening, I know I truly understand how blessed I am for each second I am given.”
These words touch my heart deeply. Jessica inspiring thoughts give us a reminder of the preciousness of life. She had no way of knowing that only a month later, she would be one of the fatalities of the Aurora Colorado shooting.
I pray continually for her family, and the other families that have been devastated. I pray that God would spread His peace in their hearts, and that they will know that He is still with them, even though the devil is trying to break them apart. The legacy’s that God put in each one of the victim’s hearts lives on in the people who love them, and the individuals that they have touched. I can speak for myself in saying that Jessica has changed my life, and I intend to live my life like the precious gift it is.
I don’t know how long I have left, all I know is that I have this ONE moment. A precious moment to be thankful for every blessing in my life, to make a difference, and to love unconditionally.
Verse of the day: "The Lord is on my side; I will not fear: what can man do unto me?" (Psalm 118:6)
