Having been here for only three months, I’m new to your state, but know that I already feel at home. I’m from Pittsburgh. A city within a county that holds the same population as all of Vacationland. Life is different here. It’s calm. It’s a little slower. It’s a little more focused on enjoying the moment and a little less focused on keeping up with the Johnsons. It is a giant statewide community. And most importantly, it is safe.

As I write this, my social media feeds are filled with my friends remembering a mass shooting we experienced in Pittsburgh five years ago. So, while my roots in my new Maine community are still shallow, I know the anguish you are feeling. The hurt. The fear. I know those feelings.

But I want you to know, the sun will rise. We will mourn as a community. We will grieve. Our sense of safety will return. Mainers are some of the resilient humans I have ever met and you will heal.

Don’t rush it. Feel the pain. Fight for real change to help ensure it won’t happen again. And breathe. This is still the Maine you love and you will be OK.

Alli Knapp

Albion