Turning on the news, we see tragedies happening all over the world. Death is an everyday truth that we have accepted as a necessary part of life, but every once in a while tragedy sends shockwaves through the hearts of every person, leaving us reeling, at least for the time being.

When the news first hits about the arrival of a devastating hurricane or a horrific shooting, people stop their lives to watch and sympathize with the victims. For weeks after, we mourn and remember those who were lost for reasons that do not seem to make sense. It is all we can talk about at home, in school and places of worship. People need something to do, something to contribute to the efforts that alleviate the pain of those affected, even if just for a little while. We organize care packages and memorial services, anything to show support for our fellow man and for a while, it works.

But life continues on. We get up every morning and go to school and work. We deal with the trivial and mundane problems of everyday life. Our focus shifts to Friday’s math test or the English paper due next week and life goes back to normal. The tragedy that affected us so strongly begins to fade into the background, another sad event to mar our history books for all of time. We get pulled into the latest Hollywood scandal or the excitement of weekend plans, pushing the dark events into the far recesses of our minds.

Then there are the people who can never forget. These are the mothers and fathers who sent their six-year-olds off to Sandy Hook Elementary School one Friday morning, not knowing that it would be the last time they would ever hold their children. These are the friends of the Aurora victims; victims who started out as simple movie-goers looking forward to the premiere of the latest installment of the Dark Knight trilogy. These are the families who have lost every belonging to the unforgiving Hurricane Sandy that swept away their entire lives. When the world begins to move on, they are left to pick up the pieces because this is what they are left with. Meanwhile, we go home to loved ones and things taken for granted, assured that everything will be there in the morning.

Each tragedy happens for a reason. We must take the misfortunes handed to us and hold on to the memories of the ones we lost because if we start to forget, there is little hope of maintaining the connection that runs through all human beings. The living owe it to those who lost their lives to remember them, not just for a week or however long suits them, but forever. We must never forget.