This summer has seen more local tragedies than any other I can recall.
Several families have lost loved ones in car accidents; one is missing theirs following an officer's use of lethal force (justified or not is being determined); and another's was a murder victim.
The family of Daniel Goodwin is the latest to grieve over a life lost too soon, after he was found dead Sunday night at a friend's home on East Cherry.
The last few years, the Class of 2005 has been particularly hit hard by tragedy.
I know of at least four from the 2005 Blytheville/Gosnell graduation classes who have died tragically.
Two of them were murder victims -- Goodwin and old Blytheville football teammate Roosevelt Jackson.
The lives of Gosnell classmates Jessica Herron McGuire and Josh Southard were also cut short, really just as they were beginning.
Oddly, Jackson and Goodwin died almost exactly two years apart.
Jackson perished from gunshot wounds on July 11, 2011 (exactly two years ago today); Goodwin passed away Sunday, July 7.
Police haven't released the circumstances surrounding Goodwin's death, nor even how he died, other than saying he "had injuries consistent with a homicide."
All these tragedies show that life is fleeting and we should cherish each moment with our families because only God knows how long we have remaining on this earth. Though it may seem like we have all the time in the world, the reality is our lives, our possessions, our triumphs, our struggles -- they are all temporary. Enjoy the good times, remember that troubles will pass like the seasons.
Hopefully, these events will serve as a wakeup call that more must be done to avoid tragedies that are preventable.
I've written this before, but it seems these days the way to reason with one another has become brandishing a gun and squeezing the trigger.
Those who commit these heinous crimes give no thought to the consequences of their actions.
Families are left behind to grieve; the killer (hopefully) spends the rest of his days in jail.
The acts cast a dark shadow over the community and stigmatize a place as unsafe. That stain to its reputation is difficult to overcome when trying to become a growing, thriving community.
Children grow up without their parent, a loved one is missing from celebrations. The list of aftereffects is extensive. I'll never understand how anyone can end a human life and live with themselves afterward.
As a community, we have to figure out a way to end the violence. It can't simply rest on the shoulders of police officers, who are often forced into a reactive position.
I'm a big believer that it starts at home -- with the parents. The old commercial has been a punchline, but it is true: "I learned it by watching you."
What parents do today affects generations to come. Parents are charged with teaching their children right from wrong. If they don't, there can be dire consequences as those in crowded prisons and graveside mourners can attest.
Healing in the Hood and other local groups do a good job trying to stop violence and reach at-risk young people.
However, more must be done to educate both the young people and their parents. Kids need to know they have a future, something they can look forward to accomplishing one day. Parents must encourage their children to chase after goals and become productive members of society. They must teach the value of life and instill values while they're young.
There is no easy answer, but we must find the solution.
Too many have lost their lives, senselessly, already.
mbrasfield@blythevillecourier.com