Today is a day of remembrance, to be sure, but it should also be one of reflection. Two years have passed, a city has forever been altered, and what have we learned? It was a horrifying tragedy for all Americans, but Orlandoans felt it on a much more personal level. We had a personal connection to Pulse – a place, and a word, that has taken on very different meanings for us over the last two years.

According to Merriam-Webster, the word pulse is defined as a noun and a verb. It’s the “regular expansion of an artery caused by the ejection of blood into the arterial system by the contractions of the heart.” And it also means “to produce or modulate something”, “to fill a person or place with a quality or strong emotion”.

Oddly enough, these definitions relate to the evolution of the word for us.

Before June 12, 2016, Pulse symbolized:

• (n.) a place of joy, where we would spend the night dancing vivaciously to Pink and Whitney and Robyn; a place where we danced with our hands in the air, where we belted out lyrics and shouted, “this is my favorite song,” as we linked arm-in-arm with our friends gay, straight, or unsure – it didn’t matter.

On June 12, 2016, Pulse took on a new definition:

• (n.) a place where the worst tragedy in Orlando and one of the worst in American history took place; a place where a vile, horrible human walked in and proceeded to shoot 200 rounds in under five minutes, killing 49 people and injuring 53 others; a place that appeared on worldwide news and the whole world felt our pain.  
• (v.) the very name which we whispered through tears became a rallying battle cry stretching from SoDo to South Dakota, our city was literally pulsing with life.

And today? Here’s what we think of when we hear the word:

• (n.) a place of resilience where one visits for bittersweet and painful memories – to honor and to grieve, to respect and to mourn, to make promises and pledges – promises of fighting for gun reform and to #honorthemwithaction.

Hit reply to tell us what the word Pulse means to you today and we may share your words out with the rest of our Pulptown community.

Also, don’t forget that today is Acts of Love and Kindness Day. Be kind to someone today. And choose love. #loveisloveislove #OrlandoStrong

A few cents to make sense. Now through July 31, you can help feed homeless students by eating at one of your favorite local restaurants. By rounding up your check to the nearest dollar at participating restaurants, you are donating to the “Round Up for Kids” fundraiser that benefits Summer of Dreams, a nonprofit that supports homeless youth in Central Florida with “meals, academic enrichment, tutoring, mentoring, and a backpack filled with school supplies for the fall.” (Orlando After-School All-stars)

An amazing Na’vi rite of passage. Ever wanted to sleep beneath the stars in the Valley of Mo’ara? Now is your chance. Disney just launched a new contest where you and a friend can win a chance to “glamp” at Animal Kingdom’s Pandora for four days, three nights all expenses paid. (My News 13)

Please hold for your next available best friend. A Pulse survivor and the operator who kept him calm during the tragic night just two years ago are now bonded for life after they got tattoos to commemorate their friendship. They got the tattoos through a program called Healing Ink, which offers free tattoos to those affected by tragedy. (Fox 13)

Can’t make this ish up. This is what #FloridaMan memes are made of. A Spirit Air flight from Baltimore to Orlando yesterday halted the plane on the runway before making it to the gate. Why? In an effort to avoid running over an alligator. (WSVN)

A REMINDER ABOUT DAD’S DAY

Do something special for your dad this Father’s Day. Hit reply to the newsletter to share a memory of you and your pops with us (and send a photo along too if you’d like!) and we’ll share a few memories in Friday’s newsletter. Think of it as a Father’s Day present to the man you’ve loved the longest in this life.

Xoxo
-Pulptown