On Wednesday evening June 17th, I went to church like I always do. When I got home the CNN alerts were going off notifying the world of the shooting at the Emmanuel AME Church in Charleston, SC. So many thoughts began to invade my mind. I too had went to Wednesday night service and made it home safely. I was grateful that I made it home from church, but my heart  ached for those who wouldn’t see their loved ones come home that evening. All 9 victims will be missed by their loved one’s but I am burdened for Rev. Pinckney’s wife and children. When I watched coverage from Rev. Pinckney’s funeral everyone that spoke, spoke of the love he had for the community, the church, and his family.  As I watched the service, I thought to myself that could be me. I am Malana and Eliana. My mother is Mrs. Pinckney. My father could have been Rev. Pinckney. My father too is a pastor and has been for all my life. I’ve never had to worry if he will it make it home from church. Considering where our church is located, some nights I probably should have worried, but every night my dad came home. In my church we are taught to love everyone even if they don’t look like us. Many Sunday’s people who don’t look like us with traditional church clothes, will enter our church, but we think nothing of it, and embrace them like we would any member. Malana and Eliana had to spend their first Father’s Day without their father on Sunday. They will graduate high school without their father. They will get married one day, but their father will not be there to walk them down the aisle. A father is a daughters first love, and Malana and Eliana have lost theirs at an early age. In the midst of grieving the death of her husband, Mrs. Pinckney has to explain to her daughters what has transpired, and how they will move on with their life. After hearing about the character of Rev. Pinckney, I can only imagine the character of his wife. Mrs. Pinckney will explain to her children about the traumatic event her family has experienced in the words of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. “I have decided to stick with love. Hate is too great a burden to bear.” I stand with you during this time Mrs. Pinckney. My prayers are with you Malana and Eliana!