Yesterday morning (July 20, 2012), when I awoke by alarm clock to my favorite radio station here in the Boulder area, KBCO (97.3 FM), I did not reach for the snooze button; instead, I was captivated and startled awake by my radio host’s somber tone and inclusion of references like “this morning’s Colorado tragedy.” The host struggled for words between playing songs that attempted reflection on our flawed world. Then, as I lay in bed, waiting for more information, I heard President Obama’s speech offered “in the wake of the Aurora, Colorado, theater shooting,” which had occurred just after midnight.

“And if there’s anything to take away from this tragedy it’s the reminder that life is very fragile. Our time here is limited and it is precious. And what matters at the end of the day is not the small things, it’s not the trivial things, which so often consume us and our daily lives. Ultimately, it’s how we choose to treat one another and how we love one another…. It’s what we do on a daily basis to give our lives meaning and to give our lives purpose. That’s what matters. At the end of the day, what we’ll remember will be those we loved and what we did for others. That’s why we’re here.”

~ President Obama, 20 July 2012
    excerpt from Obama’s speech reflecting on  the
Aurora, CO, Century Theater shooting

Interestingly, I thought I’d be writing a Friday (July 20) blog post, inspired by the documentary I Am (from writer and director Tom Shadyac, who survived a life-altering cycling accident), which I watched just before bed the night before waking to such devastating news of “12 known dead and 58 wounded” from the movie theater’s horrific event in Aurora, Colorado, 40 minutes east of my home. More interestingly, the theme of said film is about “what is wrong with our world, and what can we do about it?” But this contemplative documentary also highlights what is great about our world.

“Ironically, in the process of trying to figure out what’s wrong with the world, Shadyac discovered there’s more right than he ever imagined.  He learned that the heart, not the brain, may be man’s primary organ of intelligence, and that human consciousness and emotions can actually affect the physical world…. And, as Shadyac’s own story illustrates, money is not a pathway to happiness.  In fact, he even learns that in some native cultures, gross materialism is equated with insanity.

“Shadyac also discovers that, contrary to conventional thinking, cooperation and not competition, may be nature’s most fundamental operating principle.   Thus, I AM shows consensus decision-making is the norm amongst many species, from insects and birds to deer and primates.  The film further discovers that humans actually function better and remain healthier when expressing positive emotions, such as love, care, compassion, and gratitude, versus their negative counterparts, anxiety, frustration, anger and fear.”

~ I Am official documentary website, “The Film” 

Yesterday was shaped by realizing what had happened, feeling that sick feeling in my stomach as I tried to even imagine what it must have been like to be so vulnerable and surprised with such an awful attack while doing something so ordinary, something so typically and seemingly safe.  I continued envisioning the wounded and deceased, as well as their family and friends, surrounded in so much love and light. I noticed my own last-minute fear as I met a friend for a movie we’d planned some time ago that evening; when I heard a door shut more loudly during our film, I was triggered to imagine the awful events that had transpired in a nearby city just 16 hours before the start of my movie, The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel.

Yes, Thought-Provoking, Thought-Shifting Experience #3 in about 24 hours: The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel. Even with a rather simple, at times predictable story line, this worthwhile, enjoyable movie promotes the idea that we can change our lives, fulfill dreams and find joy at any time, any age; the reality that life will continue to change and that we have the choice to shift and thrive or resist change miss out; and the reward of kind, compassionate, simple, open-minded, passion-led living.

Pulling these three experiences—the documentary I Am, the Aurora Century Theater shooting and Obama’s reflective speech, and film The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel—together, I’m mainly left with the message that we are again reminded about the importance of living for as few regrets as possible. Saying what we need to say, even if difficult, to loved ones. Remembering what’s important, things like kindness, compassion, respect and love. Letting go of patterns or people not serving our highest good and needs and creating space for the better and brighter. Knowing that we are mortal and living as much as we can, on a daily basis, in a way that reflects our values and beliefs. Knowing and not forgetting “at the end of the day, what we’ll remember will be those we loved and what we did for others” (Obama). I’ve been to enough funerals to witness that these are the elements people mention when people pass away. Whom do we love? How do we show it? How are we kind? That’s what it’s all about.

We know these ideas, these life-guiding, wise principles that seem to surface when we have a death or a tragedy. Inevitably, after awhile, we’ll go back to our lives and get lost in the trivial and perhaps forget these reminders. Rest assured, the Universe will continue sending proof of our fragility, so how long can we preserve these recently revived thoughts and ways? Anything we practice long enough becomes a pattern; it’s worthwhile considering what we do and how we think on a daily basis.

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Blessings, Love and Light to all those lost, injured and present at the Century Theater in Aurora, Colorado, in the senseless tragedy on July 20, 2012, and to their loved ones.

© Erika M. Schreck, All Rights Reserved, 2012