If by some chance you have somehow missed today’s news on the Aurora, Co. Tragedy, here’s probably the least biased and easiest to digest breakdown of the situation, thanks to The Associated Press.

When I arrived home last night at almost 4am from a Midnight screening of The Dark Knight Rises, I was on cloud 9, having really loved the film.  Having woke up at 9am thanks to my cat, I never would have expected, wished or hoped to awaken to what I have today.

Speaking with another of the writers here via email, Chris Kultzow, he asked if we should cover what happened.  I told him no.  But over time, I felt like given this platform, something should be said.

I wondered what exactly about the situation ate at me, continues to eat at me.  Lets be honest - a midnight movie audience is the hardest of the hardcore, the people who want to be a part of the moment as soon as they can. They are our people. Our nerds, our geeks. The people who would be reading this site and the many other ones better than it. They watched every trailer breathlessly, they saw every screenshot. Their summer lead up to this.

…And someone changed all their lives forever.

The scariest part of it all really is - it could have been any single one of us.  I know I speak for myself when I say that the movie theatre is a temple of sorts. Hallowed ground that takes us to places we couldn’t imagine.  And if only for one moment, this “temple” has been ruined by one individual’s decision.

Over the next few hours, days and months, if not years, because of one person, one very sick and twisted person, you’re going to hear a lot of discussion about what happened.

Questions of gun control, political leanings, the impact of media such as movies, music and video games.  I’m sure you’ve already noticed it.  But the fact is this - it’s not about any of that. It’s about a sad, broken individual and how he chose to impact the lives of others.

Don’t give credence to the talking heads. Don’t let the thoughtless debates envelop you.

But more importantly - love your fellow human. Today, we could all use each others shoulder, and tomorrow we may need it too.

Be the change. Be the good. Be the heart. Be the soul.  But most importantly, be the ones who continue forward.

Because we have to be.