By Kailee Billerbeck, Contributing Writer
Monroe High School has once again exemplified their ASB's motto, "It's the Little Things.GÇ¥
Friday was a devastating day for Marysville Pilchuck and everyone connected to the shooting. As soon as students at MHS heard of the news, they all came together to tell everyone that they would be wearing Marysville Pilchuck colors for the game. Regardless of the fact that it was Senior Night for football, cheer, and band, everyone joined in the effort to replace orange with red. Lining the bleachers were several signs expressing love and support for Marysville and all affected by the tragedy. A huge shout-out to everyone who decorated the home stands with red on Friday.
In tragic incidents like these it is important to not just look at the face of the situation but to look at the underlying matters. Many people ask: "Why did this happen? How did nobody see this coming?' No matter how much people question, the answer will always come down to: they felt like there was no other choice. So the thing to focus on is how to show people that there is another option, how to show kids and teens that they have unique paths ahead of them just waiting to be embarked upon.
Growing up in today's generation is anything but easy. Kids and teens act on instinct whether through text, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, or Tumblr. There is no detachment from everything going on to sit and have to deal with emotion. Emotions become concealed and bottled up and it feels as though the only outlet is social media- something that has to listen.
So how does someone show kids and teens that they have potential and matter? Tell them. It just takes one person believing in you to believe in yourself. Reach out to those around you, your friends, family, peers, students, teammates. Just listen and encourage. Show people they matter by honestly investing in them. Break through this generation's surface and take the time to look beneath the posts, texts, and tweets. Believe in someone and be a friend.
The only way to stop this is to show people they have another choice. So whether you show that to one person or twenty, you could be saving a life. We all want to be heard and understood. Everyone wants to know how to improve upon what is and get pushed to do what could be. Everyone is placed on this planet to serve a purpose; one that is unique to each and every person and sometimes this fact is lost, forgotten, and overshadowed by adversity. So be someone's person and show them how to step out of their shadow and see what lies ahead of them.
People are not monsters and they are not evil, they feel lost and as though they've reached a dead end and sometimes they don't know how to deal with this on their own. Show someone the path beyond their dead end- everyone has felt like they've reached it before.
You don't have to change the world to change the world. All you have to do is begin the ripple effect of compassion and investment.
You don't have to love everyone to make a difference. All you have to do is respect those around you and care for those who are close to you.
Be a friend and show just one person you believe in them and help them see beyond their shadow. Show them their other options.
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