Death where is your sting?

Today I worked at a school I’ve been to many times. I love the vibe there because it’s pretty mixed and the teachers I’ve worked with seem to really love their kids. Today it felt a little different to me. The kids still laughed and played around but they were a little bit more somber and subdued. I think it was because on Sunday night, one of their classmates was shot while walking home. As I was driving home, I started crying. I don’t know why his death touched me. It’s LA, so many people die every single day. But I just remember thinking of his dad who worked so hard to make sure his son stayed out of gangs, didn’t go clubbing, did his homework. He did all the right things, and yet his life was snatched away. It seems so unfair. His teammates were amazing. They worked so hard to collect money on behalf of the family. They were so earnest, so persistent (but not in an annoying way) to make sure they asked everyone they saw to share a little money. I don’t understand it. I don’t like the way the gang members win. Now they’ve inspired more fear. Kids talked about not wearing hats, not walking home, and not wearing certain colors. I wish there was a way we could face these tragic events without becoming more fearful and isolating ourselves even more.