we remember you, Yaxza

How many more do we have to lose, in this manner, before the world wakes up?

      Yaxza Herrera was a young girl who I went to high school with. She was probably the most popular girl I have known. And I don’t mean that in the general assumption, movie produced, after school special view of popularity. Our high school didn’t work on a hierarchy of Cheerleaders, Jocks, Drama Nerds, AV Geeks, Loners, Goths, etc. At our school, the Cheerleaders and Jocks were also the Drama Nerds, the AV Geeks were the funniest characters around, the Goths and the Preps got along. And they all knew Yaxza, and she was kind to all of them. You couldn’t go through life at Narbonne without at least hearing about Yaxza. She was the ideal cheerleader, she was involved in school activities, she was everyone’s friend.  I often wondered how she could handle it all, but she did it with ease, she did it with a smile, always, that famous Yaxza smile.

      I never got the chance to know Yaxza on a personal level. But as did the rest of my graduating class, I knew her name, her face, we exchanged hello’s in passing, a few laughs with a mutual group of friends, but our classes never intertwined together, so the chance of actually knowing her never really presented itself… and now it never can…

      This morning the Narbonne High School graduating class of 2008 lost one of their shining members. Yaxza Herrera was tragically shot and killed. Today, we are all forced to say goodbye to someone so young and full of life. Everywhere I turn on Facebook, someone is posting a status in respect to her. People who went to school with her, people whom I didn’t even know knew her, everyone. And everyone is saying the same thing, how can something like this happen to someone so kind, someone with such a beautiful spirit? And really, unfortunately, there is no answer. These things happen in life, because of the evil that corrupts this lost world. Sometimes we lose the good ones, for no reason other than the selfish acts of man.

      Let not her death be in vain. Let this be a reminder to all of us that life is short. An example that, the way we live our lives now, is important. She impacted so many just in the way she carried herself and treated others and now it’s time we step up and follow in those footsteps.

      To the ones I know, who believe in God, in Christ, in the salvation of the cross; whether you knew Yaxza, heard of her, or have just learned of her today, through reading this, let her memory be a reminder to you, that what we do in this life, makes a difference. Let us not live another day, another hour, without making sure that all of our actions make an impact for the Kingdom of God. The kindhearted nature of Yaxza was clearly powerful, to all who came across her, it made an impact on the class of ’08 and beyond. How much more could our Christ-like nature, make an impact? How much more do we have to offer to this poor, wretched world? How much more of a responsibility are we given through our faith in God?  The power of kindness, a warm smile, a friendly hello can change a person’s day, but the power of Christ’s love, the strength that is found in His Spirit, can move mountains, can change a life. Yaxza’s death will forever be a reminder to me, of the impact that even the small things can have on a person’s life. Even the little things we do, when done in the name of our Savior, serves purpose and can emit change.

      We can make a difference. We can. We must. I am sick of the hearing the death count of Narbonne students and alumni rising. I am sick of hearing about a death and assuming they were shot. I am sick of that assumption being true. I am sick of the way this world is going. We can make a difference! We have to.

Yaxza, we remember you today, forever. Thank you for being one of the most kindhearted girls I have ever met. Thank you for influencing the ones I love in such a positive way. My prayers go out to your family.

How many more do we have to lose?