As writers, we’re supposed to come up with words for everything. We write about the back-room tactics of politicians and the feel-good activities of people in our community. On the flip side, we do our best to shine the light on those who manipulate the system for their own good. Most of the time, we do a fairly good job.

But there are no words for why someone would shoot up an elementary school.

No words why someone would open fire in a concert.

No words for those who grieve.

No explanations.

There are no sentimental clichés to make the tragedy any better. There’s not enough fire and brimstone that can bring back a sense of security or bring back those who perished.

No one could foresee that this level of evil exists in our country. How could anyone imagine someone could walk into an elementary classroom and massacre innocent children?

How could anyone see that a deranged individual would target innocent people who were simply outside enjoying a music concert with friends and loved ones?

The answer is – no one.

I wish I could think of the words that could take away the pain of the families who lost a loved one due to senseless violence. I wish I could bring back those young people, back to a life unfulfilled.

I wish with all my heart I could write something to those who ran from the terror to put a safe feeling back in their lives, but there’s no words for that. There’s no way to make them feel safe again, and there’s no way to erase what happened.

For years, millions of words will be written about these tragedies. We’ll examine the senseless violence committed against children and families in Sandy Hook, Columbine, Charleston, Virginia Tech, the University of Texas, the West Nickel Mine Amish School and at a movie theater in Aurora, Colorado. We’ll search for a reason why someone would open fire on innocent people. We’ll condemn the shooter’s family and friends for not paying attention and alerting others that this person was dangerous.

We’ll try and blame those who own guns for allowing people to stockpile weapons. And then we’ll blame those who try and take guns away for not allowing people to arm themselves against the lunatics in the world.

But rational reasons don’t exist. There are no explanations to comfort those who lost a loved one in an act of violence that rocked the entire nation. There are no words that can bring that friend or loved one back to life or make the nightmares and all-too-real fear stop for the survivors.

We’re shaking our heads in disbelief, hoping there’ll be someone with an answer for stopping the violence.

What’s left is the most basic form of empathy humans know – we reach out and pull the person hurting close to us. As we hug them tightly and blink back the tears, we’re wordless as we stroke their hair and vow to never let them go.

Words aren’t enough to heal the broken hearted. Only the comfort of those who love us and those who are mourning the deceased with us can get us through the horrors no person should have to endure.

Until we do find the words, we’ll continue to hold each other close for dear life because that’s the one answer that makes sense.

This column was originally published in The Fort Bend Herald.