It's the randomness of mass shootings that make them difficult to combat.

What can be said about Monday’s that hasn’t already been said? Most people dislike the day very much. I’ve always had a soft spot for the day, and tried to never utter the words; “Ugh it’s Monday again” under my breath, or out loud. I mean there are so many things that are way worse than waking up to “another” Monday.

For example NOT waking up. To never getting the opportunity to have another Monday through no fault of your own, except for the slippery hand of fate putting you in the wrong place at the wrong time. Such is the case of the two young girls killed in the deadly shooting that happened Sunday night in our old neighborhood, inside restaurants we had patronized. Two young girls; one ten year, the other eighteen, didn’t get the chance to see another Monday.

It is unimaginable.

Two young girls out enjoying a Sunday evening.

It is heartbreaking.

Families who will never be the same again.

I never wanted my city to become a # strong anything. Never mind two times in such a short amount of time. The hashtags that come with any act of violence that is committed against a group of innocent citizens anywhere. But Toronto? And twice since April? These are groups that I’d hoped we would never join.

Yet here we are.

And here I am once again typing words that I’ve typed all too often, from my safe and comfortable distance; “my heart goes out to the parents who will never hear I love you, or get to say it again. Who must forever walk by bedrooms that have lost their souls.”

I hate typing them. I hate thinking them even more. Because my feeling badly for the parents who have lost children to senseless gun violence, will never feel whole again. Or find any lasting comfort in my condolences. Nothing I type, feel, or say will bring back their little girls.

Just last week I was lamenting about the increased gun violence in Toronto, and how I was concerned that one day it would escalate to eventually involve random mass shootings as well. I took small comfort in the fact that it was all, so far, gang related. When I thought about the inevitable shift, for me it was down the road, perhaps in ten, or more years. I didn’t expect that my thoughts of how the landscape of gun violence in my hometown would become different would come to fruition within days of me thinking that.

I’m discouraged.

I’m saddened.

I’m confused as to how mentally unwell people get access to guns time, and time, and time again.

We need to do not only do better, we need to do more and we need to do it now.

My heart is with the parents of the two young girls who were taken away too soon by a senseless act of violence. I pray for the other victims who are still fighting for their lives that they make full and speedy recoveries. And I pray for real lasting change/solutions, and that we learn from places like Australia, and Great Britain by taking swift action, rather than emulate our neighbors to the south and just begin a pattern of holding press conferences and offering our “prayers and condolences” as the problem escalates. Let’s not play the wait and see game leaders of Toronto, Ontario, and Canada.