A heavy heart

Repeatedly, my heart is heavily hurt by the amount of innocent lives taken in school shootings.

One summer, I read a book about the Columbine shooting that took place in 1999. Just reading about it made me cry. Then continuously hearing shootings taking place in the U.S. ached my heart.

On September 13, 2017, I was in class when my school, Mead High School, went into a modified lockdown. Later, I heard the news and I could not believe it. I was then in my fourth period, when I started receiving texts from my life group leader. Several girls in my life group go to Freeman. Immediately, I began praying. Knowing this all happened so close to me made my heart hurt so much. All of these students and teachers that were affected, I could not fathom.

Then, Valentine’s Day, the day of love, there was another devastating tragedy. In Parkland, Florida, 17 innocent people lost their lives. Reading stuff about this made me furious. Knowing that I, little 14-year-old freshman me, can’t do anything about these things that happen makes me even more mad.

The world needs to change. Please, let’s love our neighbors.

Ellie Sletten

Spokane