i really have no idea what to say about today's events. you all feel the same as i do. we are all shocked, angry, stunned.
matt, dave and i spent the entire afternoon at the hospital, waiting in line to give blood. dallas' reunion arena was backed up to a five or six hour wait. ours only lasted four. matt said, "i wish there was something more that we could do than just give blood." two students from smu that had come down to baylor to donate blood made use of the wait by going and getting sandwiches, drinks, and chips for the people waiting in the halls. i thought it a great act of support and kindness.
in a way, it's encouraging to see the outpoor of empathy and support shown at the massive turn-outs across the city today and i'm sure likewise across the country. however, i also find it dissappointing that it takes such a tremendous tragedy to bring people out donating blood. i learned today that the hospitals in new york, on a regular basis, have a shortage of blood for patients. i'm sure it's like this all over the country. my dissappointment extends to myself. i avoided blood drives in college and afterward. i have a huge fear of needles and i don't like bleeding. it took a feeling of helplessness to drive me to overcome this petty phobia. never again. from now on, i will donate blood regularly.

i am thankful that the people i love are safe. i am thankful for the friends i have made in the past two years of my life here in dallas.

mostly, i'm stunned. stunned that our security and way of life can be breached so quickly and our world turned upside-down. this will certainly be some sort of catalyst for me to live my life a little more deliberately. how many of the thousands that lost their lives today had something that they wanted to say to someone and never got the chance?

this past weekend gave me the opportunity to meet some incredible people that i am very fortunate to know. sara, kevin, julie, amanda, tony, hanh, shaun, alison, leia, erica, billy, jessica...i hope that our friendships strengthen and we don't just remain acquaintances.