Some say life is a gift, that it should be valued and not taken for granted. Life is not easy and we face challenges every day. Some of these challenges are easy and some are difficult. And although we never really know what to expect in life, we try our best to be ready for anything we encounter. We all do things along the way to make our lives easier, better and worth living. The choices we make every day determine our future. We are in control of our own lives when we make choices for ourselves.

But what if another person’s poor choice affects your future? What would you do?

The families and friends of the victims of the Aurora Theater and the Sandy Hook Elementary School shootings never thought they would ever go through such tragedy. They were faced with an unexpected event that no one thought would happen. Because of one’s poor choice in life, many others were affected by it.

It’s difficult to explain something when you don’t have all the valid information you need, but how does one wake up and decide to put others’ lives in danger? It’s unfair to those who are just trying to live their lives without harming other people. No one wants to experience the passing of the people they love, yet we know it’s a part of the circle of life. It’s difficult waking up and realizing that those who were once in your life are not there anymore.

The loss of a loved one makes a big impact on your everyday life. It is a challenge to continue living life the way you used to when you know a part of you is missing.

I’ve personally dealt with a loss of someone very important in my life. Accepting it was difficult for me. Coping with it was even more difficult. You lose all sense of hope. You feel weak and discouraged to do anything. You’re in a different state of mind. All your feelings are negative. You feel like everything in life has no meaning anymore. You wake up and feel as if there’s no reason for you to live any longer. You ask yourself why? What’s the reason for your loss? What is it that you did that you deserved to experience such burden? These questions are often left unanswered.

But sometimes through the healing process, people find answers. Through time, people learn to accept the loss of a loved one. For some, it is a short process, for others it is a long one. Those who struggle to cope with loss do not just wake up one day and feel fine. Coping can sometimes last years for some who simply never know when they will be ready to go back to their normal lives.

Although getting back to a daily routine can take time, those in pain should realize that no matter how difficult it is, at some point everyone must continue to live their lives. Your life does not end because you lost someone you cared for. Your loved one would want to see you have moved on with life even if they’re gone. And you can find comfort in the fact you will always have your memories to remember them.

The families and friends of those victims of violence are still grieving. It is not easy but every day, their pain will gradually heal. We may never know how they feel personally, but it is human nature to understand someone who is grieving.

I’m not an expert in human emotions, but anyone can understand pain. All we can do is be supportive and help those we know who are suffering to cope with their loss. We can also guide them through it. They will learn how to live again and go on even if there are people missing in their lives.

No matter what hardships we face in life, we should always be hopeful and thankful. After all, when we grieve, we grieve for the loss of the richness our loved ones brought into our lives. We should be thankful for the time — even if it is all too short — that we had to experience their love.