At a loss for words

It’s too much.

All the hatred, all the violence, all the death, all the destruction.

I can’t believe it’s become a part of our daily lives.

I can’t believe there are those who still refuse to
acknowledge there’s a problem.

I can’t believe there are those who think a minute of silence can compensate, can overcome, can heal, can solve.

Can make it all go away.

Not with a minute of silence. Only a minute of silence.

This is not how you honour the dead.

This is not how you comfort the bereaved.

This is not how you alleviate the pain and the suffering and the loss.

Not with a minute of silence. Only a minute of silence.

This is not how you wipe away the tears and the blood.

This is not how you stop it.

This is not how you prevent it.

Not with a minute of silence. Only a minute of silence.

Only a minute of silence. That’s why it continues to fester, to ooze like an ugly, open, puss-filled, odorous wound that keeps spreading, keeps infecting more and more people every minute of every day.

Only a minute of silence. That’s why the sound of sirens has become the soundtrack of our time. Sirens and gunshots. And mothers and fathers and sons and daughters and sisters and brothers and friends and even strangers, united in grief. Crying. Wailing.

We used to hear laughter. Not so much anymore.

Not with a minute of silence. Only a minute of silence.

Protesting has accomplished nothing.

Replaying the images, the horror over and over and over and over again has only fanned the flames.

Frustration and impatience have incited more violence. More violence makes it worse. So much worse.

So, what to do? Where’s next? Who’s next? What’s next?

Not with a minute of silence. Only a minute of silence.

I am stunned this is still happening. I have no words. There is nothing to say.

Speechless.