As a single full-time mother of 2 and full-time employee it is difficult to describe the frustrations and struggles that come with raising two adolescents alone. On top of the daily challenges this world continues to throw our way obstacles that shouldn't exist. The world my girls are growing up in is completely different from the one I remember and it breaks my heart. It's hard enough on them to grow up without their father but to face the cruelty of this world is unfathomable for children. There is no reason my kids should be worried about people having guns at school or being kidnapped on the street while walking home, but this is the world we live in. When will the world wake up to notice the people around them? When will they take their faces out of their phones to look up and notice someone else? Someone in need of a meal or even just an encouraging word. I believe in God but the church that I follow is myself and the words God gives me or someone else for me. We, people, you and I are the most powerful church. Why? Because there is nothing more encouraging than words directed at individuals from the source. Even for those who don't believe to hear the things that people have overcome to gain success whether in business or life is the best way to help others believe in themselves. Everyone talks about making the world a better place, but fail to realize it's not the number of people you help or make an impact on that counts, each person is living in their own world, so therefore wouldn't changing or impacting one life help change the world around us? It's time to stop ignoring the lost and forgotten, it's time to take a stand for your neighbor. The biggest satisfaction should come from watching others succeed, if we were all to help each other grow how much more would the world change? If we just stood still for a moment to hear someone else, what impact could you have? All these shootings could have been prevented from gun control bur most importantly could have been prevented if someone had listened and paid attention to the individuals who carried out these senseless acts.