A terrible thing has happened in Florida. A gunman went into a gay nightclub in Orlando. During Pride Month. And killed 49 people.

Guns are a problem. A big one. He had a military assault weapon. No one needs that kind of personal gun ownership. Too many stories like this keep happening. And it is so so scary.

We woke up to the story on Sunday morning. And by Sunday night we had to discuss it with the boys. Brendan was eager to see the Tony Awards which would pay some tribute to the lives lost even if the names were still unknown. Boston’s Pride Parade was the day before.

Their questions were the same as our. How could someone do this?, why would someone do this?, could it happen here?, what can we do?

What we did was go to the Boston memorial the next day. We waited (mostly patiently) for over an hour to sign the remembrance book. Brendan simply wrote, “Love who you want.”

Fear is a terrible thing. We do our best to not let it dictate what we do and don’t do. But we won’t let it dictate who we are and who we love.

Our prayer is that violence and hatred end. And love wins.

Lin-Manuel Miranda’s poem at the Tony Awards that night:

“My wife’s the reason anything gets done
She nudges me towards promise by degrees
She is a perfect symphony of one,
Our son is her most beautiful reprise
We chase the melodies that seem to find us
Until they’re finished songs and start to play
When senseless acts of tragedy remind us
That nothing here is promised, not one day
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 lasts long
And love is love is love is love is love is love is love is love is love
Cannot be killed or swept aside,
I sing Vanessa’s symphony, Eliza tells her story
Now fill the world with music love and pride”