In the past, when I heard about the horrendous terrorist events in Ferguson, Charleston, Paris, and other places around the world I was saddened and angry. It was only through television and the internet that those of us who don’t live in those places got to observe and imagine the damage done and the lives lost. Those things hadn’t happened in my own backyard. And I wasn’t in touch with those who were affected by those appalling events. But now I know what it’s like and how it feels.

I’ve been struggling to write about what happened here in Charlottesville on Saturday, August 11th when all hell broke loose with the arrival of the AltRight, NeoNazis, and the KKK. I still cannot find the words. But that’s okay. It doesn’t matter. You all know what happened. You saw the footage on television and the internet, or maybe you were here on the street standing up for what you believe in.

I was not on the street. I was at home. But the action was only 1.8 miles away and I could hear the hellicopter monitoring the situation overhead in the distance. The same helicopter that went down later in the afternoon killing both of the state troopers on board … not long after a lovely young woman was hit by a crazed, domestic terrorist with his car. She died and 19 others were injured, some seriously.

Many are criticizing the city government, the police, and the university for not being prepared. But how can a small city like Charottesville be prepared for something like that. All of us are only human and we do the best we can. The KKK rally earlier in the July was a walk in the park compared to what happened on the 11th. Though many predicted that the August rally would be violent, we have never needed police or military forces to protect our little city before now.

What I can tell you for sure is that despite many unhappy souls, we in Charlottesville are healing. And our little city has become BIG. BIG hearts. BIG love. BIG conversations are happening. Not only here but all over the country. The support and the love that is still streaming our way is astounding and so very much appreciated.

I have always believed that even in the horrible scenarios, good things can manifest. If what happened here is beginning to change the conversation around our country and the world, which I believe it is, I’m proud to be a Charlottesvillian. We may look like a small blue dot in a big red state on most political maps, but we are BIG. And praise be that we have been given the opportunity to let the world know who we are and what we stand for. Mistakes were made. Lessons were learned. People came together. The world will be a better place because of what happened here.