In Memory of Brianna Benlolo and Tyler Johnson

Today marks the one year anniversary of the Columbia Mall shooting (read more here).

Rather than talk about the events that happened, the who, the why, I want to use today's entry to simply honor the memory of Brianna Benlolo and Tyler Johnson, two members of our community who lost their lives too young. My thoughts and prayers are with the families whose lives are now affected everyday because of this senseless tragedy.

The photo above was taken the day the mall re-opened. Notes of support were written on the wall of the boarded store. As time went on, the wall became completely covered, and flowers, stuffed animals, and other tokens were left in the memory of the victims. 

Check out this article on WBAL

Choose Civility, Our Shaken Community

I love Columbia. In fact, twice this week I had conversations with friends about how much I love my town, how I grew up here, and how I wouldn’t mind living here forever. That may sound close-minded, you know, you grow up and move out of your hometown, but we have everything here. A great sense of community:

Back when I went off to college, I visited a friend’s home and she had a “real” mailbox. I had only ever really seen one when I was at my grandma’s house and I was a little kid. She thought it was funny that I found a mailbox so cool, but in Columbia we don’t have mailboxes at each door – we have community mailboxes, so that you see your neighbors when you go out to get your mail. As an adult, I appreciate them, and they’re cooler than “real” mailboxes.

We have ten village centers, a great college and public school system, shopping, dining, parks, lakes, gyms, pools, ice skating, sport organizations and venues, horseback riding, nature centers, a terrific music venue, festivals, anything you could think of, all right at your fingertips. And, until now, there has always been the sense of security that wherever you go, you are 'pretty much' safe.