On June 12th, 2016 an American-born man gunned down forty nine men and women at a gay nightclub in Orlando, Florida. Not only was this man pledged to ISIS, but his attack was the largest terror attack on American soil since 9/11. When Obama had to address the nation about this senseless mass shooting, he claimed, “We know enough to say this was an act of terror and an act of hate.” He went on to say, “This is an especially heartbreaking day for our friends who are lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender.” While this slaughter has certainly brought terrorism, prejudice, and gun control to the forefront of social media, the tragedy really brought the country to it’s knees in mourning.
In times of mourning, after the despair and anger has subsided, people look to the divine for answers, especially when the world offers no counsel. Perhaps they will ask their higher power why a cruel act such as the Orlando shooting is allowed to happen. While answers may never come, peace may find it’s way into their hearts, oftentimes in mysterious ways. At a memorial vigil in Orlando, as the names of the forty nine victims were being read off, a photographer saw a flock of birds fly overhead. Quickly, she aimed her camera at the sky and took the picture. Then as she looked closer at the photograph, she began counting the number of birds. There were forty nine.
Unsure of herself, she showed everyone around her and they all counted to the same number: forty nine. The anonymous photographer tried to discover if this was a sign from above, or just another vigil that had released a symbolic number of birds. Then she found out that sixty miles away, a memorial released forty nine doves, one for each victim. However, the woman’s photograph featured black birds. After searching all throughout Florida, she couldn’t find a single explanation for these forty nine birds that just happened to fly overhead as the names of the victims were being read. Perhaps this is merely a coincidence, but who’s to say? Regardless of your spirituality, you cannot deny the exciting, yet comforting nature of such an event. “Seeing the birds made me feel a sense of peace about the tragedy,” she said.
In times like these, it’s important to remember that we cannot let hate, prejudice, and ignorance define us. We must know that love always has the power to triumph hate. It’s always louder. Lin Manuel Miranda, the renowned writer of Tony winning shows: In the Heights and Hamilton: An American Musical, read a powerful sonnet about the tragedy during an acceptance speech for Best Original Score at the 70th Annual Tony Awards. Speaking of this horrible mass shooting, he exclaimed, “This show is proof that history remembers. We live through times when hate and fear seem stronger, we rise and fall and light from dying embers, remembrances that hope and love last longer,” Manuel insisted,
“Love is love is love is love is love is love is love — cannot be killed or swept aside.”
If nothing else, perhaps these forty nine birds flying overhead are a confirmation that the victim’s legacy will soar beyond their own lifetimes.