By Dennis Brent Melby

He was a brilliant psychiatrist, Medical Director of Chestnut Lodge, a Rockville psychiatric Hospital my colleagues and I had. He rebelled against our leadership and left - and was later killed by one of his patients whom he selflessly tried to help. He's the first person I personally knew who was murdered.

This week our world has seen such tragedy. Jews shot and killed at Bondi Beach in Australia - simply gathering to celebrate together for Hanukkah. Professors at prestigious universities gunned down with little reason, taking students with them. Rob Reiner, a Hollywood actor and director and his talented wife killed by their own son - a son they desperately wanted to help and would have given their own lives to protect. And countless others too numerous and too common for the media to highlight. Just too much tragedy.

There's no commonality to these murders. Strict gun control laws, high levels of psychiatric help, supportive communities...but it's like Cain and Abel all over again. Every generation for thousand of years has wanted it to stop, mothers mourned since time began, is it better now? All we can do is pray for them and their families, mourn their passing and remember their precious lives.

I stand with you in trying to discover the meaning in senseless tragedy - but promise you we'll persevere in trying to combat the senselessness of it all. Let's stand together (it's easier than standing apart). Try to protect our families, our communities and especially those who are lost. Winter may be here, but Spring is always not far away.

I stand with you. God bless them all.

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I want to know what you think. How to make sense of senseless tragedy. Tell me at [email protected]