Car Accident

Yesterday, there was a car crash at my school.
A young boy died.
His mom with him.
His sister is in intensive care.

When I first heard the news, I was overcome with shock that someone died. I mean, I knew that people were idiots in the parking lot. They fooled around, they raced, they disregarded the speed limit. But for someone to die? It was unfathomable. For a while, I couldn't believe it.

I began thinking about the people that they left behind. That his sister, if she is released from the hospital, will forever have scars from the accident. Mental and physical. And when those thoughts got into my head, I began to cry.

I think that it is hard for people to emphasize with things irrelevant to their daily lives. It is rare that I ever find someone who can truly cry for another. I heard this news from my biology teacher. She did not know the kid, but when she told us this story she was on the verge of tears. I think the combination of hearing about his sister and seeing a teacher cry was what drove me on edge too.

Today when I logged on facebook, there were several groups formed saying RIP _____.

Of course, this brought up a lot of hypocrisy and cynicism. People began commenting on how those who weren't directly related to this boy had no right to mourn.

I do think the facebook groups were unnecessary. I don't think there is value in something that comes to you at a click of a button. Sometimes I feel facebook groups are shortcuts, that they cheat you out of reality. Since you can't really go out there and be a part of the world, you just click "join" and substitute actually living things out.

But to the people who were bashing these groups: I don't think they have a right to look down upon those who choose to empathize. It takes a different kind of understanding for a person to feel actual sadness for another person's distress. Perhaps they showed it in a poor way (maybe because kids these days don't know anything beyond their facebook walls,) but it doesn't make their feelings any less genuine.

-PS, I'm sorry to write such a depressing post today. This was just on my mind all day, and I didn't feel that anyone would listen to me if I spoke out, but I couldn't just keep it inside.