It’s been a few days since the tragic theater shooting in Aurora, Colorado. Hours after it happened I was glued to my phone, looking for updates, thinking about the victims and their families. You see I had been looking forward to seeing “Dark Knight Rises” for months. As a storyteller, I really appreciate movies that are produced, shot, written and edited will. Though “The Dark Night” was a dark film, it was well done and I assumed this one would be the same.
As the storyline of the Colorado Theater shooting developed I felt like I was watching a scene from the movie. I was horrified to think about anyone who was in the theater at the time. It sounded like a scene I’d never want to witness anywhere but on screen. Then I started to be filled with fear. I thought about how I wanted to see the midnight showing, and how it could happen other place and how this guy was giving others the idea.
For almost an entire day I was consumed by what had happened in Colorado. I began to fall into the trap of fear. And then I realized that the message in the Batman movies is to love live in fear. To not let the “bad guys” cause us to worry.
After the shootings, I thought about not going to see the movie. I thought it would be too hard to see. But then Sunday evening, Scott and I went to see it. It was hard to watch, knowing what happened in Colorado. And I found myself on high alert every time someone stood up or moved or coughed or did anything. I couldn’t watch the movie without thinking about what happened. BUT I watched anyway and I tried to enjoy it, knowing that’s likely what all 12 victims would have wanted. I found a quote at the end of the movie, ironically summed up what I was feeling. It said something about how we can’t fear death and instead hope for good.
So go see Batman, spend time with your family, go visit a park or nearby attraction. And don’t live in fear that someone will attack you or your family. Doing that would only let the “bad guys” win.