Reflections on a story hitting too close to home

Nothing makes me contemplate my life more than hearing, reading or experiencing a tragedy.

Therefore,  when I read about the slaying of four police officers in Lakewood Sunday, I begin to think. I thought about how devastated their families, co-workers and friends must be.

I thought about the shooter, a man clearly psychologically ill and in need of help long before the tragedy took place. I wonder if his death answered questions or just raised more.

As cliché as it may sound, this also made me realize how precious each day is. It is easy to get into a routine and go through the motions of life without pausing to think about what you are living for.

I wonder how the officers began their day and if they accomplished everything they wanted to before they died. Did they have the courage to pursue their dreams, conquer some fears and say, “I love you?”

While attending Pacific Lutheran University in Tacoma, there was one thing I did on almost a daily basis.

I went to Forza Coffee Company on Steele Street to get a caffeine fix, do homework and talk with friends. This was the same coffee shop where the officers were killed.

The coffee shop was the place I’d go to when I needed time alone. It was where I wrote my first article and got hooked on writing.

I remember I would always see officers from various agencies working on their laptops and talking together.

They were always kind to us college students. One day, an officer bought my coffee for me as a random act of kindness and told me he liked my shoes.

The image of these good people being cruel victims is hard to imagine.

I begin to think about my day-to-day routine. I know it is easy for me to get busy and not make time for people I care about.

I am not a normal girl in some ways. For example, I always forget important dates such as birthdays.

I have also fallen asleep and therefore, not been able to call my best friend for one of our scheduled phone dates. I’ve forgotten to e-mail my relatives back too many times, despite having loved reading what they sent me.

When we face tragedies, we can stop and remember how valuable each day of our lives are. There are little things we can do every day to push ourselves and grow.

Be courageous at work, stand up for yourself, smile at a stranger and hug your mamma.

One of my favorite quotes is from the novel, “A Tree Grows in Brooklyn,” written by Betty Smith. Smith’s character Francie Nolan prayed this prayer during a bad time in her life: “Let me be something every minute of every hour of my life. Let me be gay; let me be sad. Let me be cold; let me be warm. Let me be hungry … have too much to eat. Let me be ragged or well dressed. Let me be sincere — be deceitful. Let me be truthful; let me be a liar. Let me be honorable and let me sin. Only let me be something every blessed minute. And when I sleep, let me dream all the time so that not one little piece of living is ever lost.”

Those words are great to live by.

I am going to remind myself of how much I appreciate police officers even when I get pulled over. I also made a list of things I wanted to accomplish in my life, some dreams which are easily attainable, some far-reaching.

Here are a few:

1. Backpack through Europe

2. Write a novel

3. Hike the Grand Canyon

4. See all my favorite bands in concert

5. Speak fluent French

6. Win a Pulitzer Prize

7. Learn how to salsa dance

Although this didn’t fit into a list of any kind, I realized I wanted to be remembered as a kind person. I want to try to live unselfishly by putting others first and reaching out to those in need.

What’s your list?

Sarah Kehoe is the Columbia Basin Herald health and education reporter. Her intelligence, thoughtful nature, sense of humor and capabilities already make her unforgettable.