Earlier this week there was a tragedy in Blacksburg, VA that all of us have heard about, read about, talked about and thought about. My thoughts and prayers go out to everyone involved in this horrible situation. Lives were lost, families torn apart and people have experienced things that will be with them for the rest of their lives. All of this is true.

But unless you are a university official, law enforcement officer or are personally involved in this event, I urge you to stop.

Stop watching.
Stop listening.
Stop reading.
and stop thinking about the event.

I urge you to do this not because I am cold or unfeeling. In fact, my motive is quite the opposite.

The more you watch it, the more you will be demotivated by it, the more it will cloud your vision of what is good about the world, the more it will make you wonder about "all those crazy people out there", and the less it will allow you to trust humanity.

Plus, think about what you could have done with all of the time you've been glued to CNN, reading the news stories or talking about it with friends.

You could have worked on a goal, read a book, or hugged a child (build your own list here).

Are there great storites that are starting to be told? Stories of heroism and bravery? I'm sure there are, but I haven't heard them, because once I learned the basics of the story, I have chosen not to watch for all the reasons why I've urged you to stop.

Stop watching.
Stop listening.
Stop reading.

Start working.
Start moving towards your goals.

and keep praying for all of those involved.

Labels: attitude, goals, Virginia Tech