Most Americans watch national tragedies unfold on the TV screen. On Dec. 14, 2012, I had the unique experience of watching a tragedy unfold in a newsroom.

In the Control Room of NBC Studios that morning, all was eerily normal. Technicians sat eating lunch and producers chatted about their weekend plans as calls came in from Newtown, Connecticut.

Acts of violence like the Newtown shooting have become all too frequent in this age. It is important to remember these events as unique and independent of other tragedies that mark our generation.

The terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center in 2001 marked the beginning of a decade filled with acts of violence and shootings at Virginia Tech in 2007, Aurora, CO in 2012 and Navy Yard this past September. According tohuffingtonpost.com, there have been at least 16 mass shootings with at least four deaths since Newtown.

Shootings have frequently appeared in headlines and have sparked heated debate surrounding gun control on Capitol Hill. It’s easy to view these tragedies simply as points of contention between politicians. As a community and a nation, we must remember the Newtown shooting and its victims as unique and tragic, even in an age where violence is common.

Tomorrow, take the time to reflect on the Newtown shooting and remember the 26 victims from Sandy Hook Elementary School. We cannot control how often we are forced to endure mass tragedies, but we can make sure that the victims are never forgotten by taking the time to reflect.