Three Minutes

3 minutes from when her husband dropped by the office and brought her a surprise at lunch, he called her 3 times.. unable to speak.. after being shot 3 times in the chest. It took just minutes for EMS  to bring him to Ryder trauma center, and maybe less than that for the heroic efforts of our incredible trauma surgeons to give him a chance, to bring him back from the brink. 

Its a war zone here, just 3 mins from the the beautiful modern glass offices, just 3 mins from seeing his beautiful wife. In the blink of an eye the world changes, upside down, topsy turvey for nothing. For what? Because you’re angry. Because you can. Because your gun is right there. 

Some will argue to get a gun. It wouldn’t have helped. Who has their gun ready 3 mins from leaving the soft kiss of their wife’s lips. No one. 

It’s too much. 

It makes no sense. 

I don’t live in fear, but I won’t live in acceptance. I cannot accept that it should be this way. I see enough pain and suffering from things somewhat out of human control… cancer, birth defects, sudden infant death syndrome. But this, this we can change. I know we can. The question is how. 

It probably took you 3 mins to read this. It may take you 3 mins to lock your gun up so your kids can’t play with it. Maybe it would take you 3 mins to call your representative about “open carry”. Perhaps in 3 mins you can use a voice that speaks louder and clearer than mine, that reaches more ears, more minds, makes a bigger difference. 

Today, in 3 minutes a life was changed, a family was changed. A beautiful family was traumatized beyond belief. A beautiful, sincere, hard working, family oriented woman was emotionally destroyed. A man was shot in front of his child in the broad light of day. 

Give me 3 minutes. Make a difference.