Taking a moment....
It breaks my heart that what brings me back to my blog to write another entry is my profound sense of sadness for the families in Connecticut at a time of year that should filled with hope, smiles and love.
On my way home on Friday evening, as I got off the bus I was walking behind a mother and her young son and couldn't help but pause for a moment as the moon was rising in the chill evening air and think about the tragic events that occurred that day in Connecticut. The loss of 27 lives, 26 people murdered in a senseless act of violence and among them 20 children. And walking behind that mother and her son I couldn't help but feel heartache and feel the pain...the pain of those families, friends, communities, and the country as whole in the life that was lost, the potential that was lost...the smiles, the laughter, the tears of joy and sadness...the future, the future leaders of families and communities, or who even knows the country or the world. I am saddened by that horrible event and saddened by the inability of our communities, our country, our world to recognize the preciousness of life, civility and love.
It really makes one think what are we choosing to do as a society? How are we behaving in a way that is not constructive, in a way that is not working towards a common goal of love and unity and heartfelt hopefulness for each other? What are we doing as a nation when we are willing and able to talk about other things so easily, be it the Real Housewives of whatever city or state, instead of actually talking about issues that impact the lives of people every single day in this country? How is it that politicians can walk onto Capitol Hill and jockey for their respective party platforms but when it comes to talking about substantive change around justice issues, gun laws and violence, or god-forbid talking about the need for quality, affordable, accessible mental health treatment in communities they seem to be silent? I read once that you can't legislate the heart. You can't legislate peace and you can't legislate kindness. Those are values that we have to work to educate and instill in our families, children and communities.
You know with the far, far too many senseless acts of violence that happen each and everyday in our world and the seemingly apathetic masses it can be hard to find the hopefulness in mankind and in the future. But then I stop and remember all of the amazing people I have met who don't fall ill to mass apathy, but have chosen to dedicate their lives to making things better. From my high school English teacher Mrs. Mallory who took the time to get to know a pudgy boy with a high-pitched voice and help to change his life and ultimately help him to find his own voice....or my friend Marla who sees every new job as a chance to fulfill her calling to make impactful change on people and communities...or Reina whose passion for our veterans and the need to ensure that they are all treated with the respect and dignity they so deserve goes unmatched...or Jackie who volunteers hours of her free time to man the D.C. Rape Crisis Center hotline...or to all the people I know who are advocating for a more fair justice system...and most especially I see hope on the faces of students and young adults so eager to learn and to understand challenges people and communities face so that they too can work to instill a preciousness of life, civility and love in our world.
So, I hope that you take some time this holiday to reflect on your life, your family and community and recognize that this world is not as hopeless as it can sometimes seem. That while there are some people who commit incredible evils there are so many who work tirelessly everyday to shape a life, a family, a community, a country, and a world full of hope, love and peace.
On my way home on Friday evening, as I got off the bus I was walking behind a mother and her young son and couldn't help but pause for a moment as the moon was rising in the chill evening air and think about the tragic events that occurred that day in Connecticut. The loss of 27 lives, 26 people murdered in a senseless act of violence and among them 20 children. And walking behind that mother and her son I couldn't help but feel heartache and feel the pain...the pain of those families, friends, communities, and the country as whole in the life that was lost, the potential that was lost...the smiles, the laughter, the tears of joy and sadness...the future, the future leaders of families and communities, or who even knows the country or the world. I am saddened by that horrible event and saddened by the inability of our communities, our country, our world to recognize the preciousness of life, civility and love.
It really makes one think what are we choosing to do as a society? How are we behaving in a way that is not constructive, in a way that is not working towards a common goal of love and unity and heartfelt hopefulness for each other? What are we doing as a nation when we are willing and able to talk about other things so easily, be it the Real Housewives of whatever city or state, instead of actually talking about issues that impact the lives of people every single day in this country? How is it that politicians can walk onto Capitol Hill and jockey for their respective party platforms but when it comes to talking about substantive change around justice issues, gun laws and violence, or god-forbid talking about the need for quality, affordable, accessible mental health treatment in communities they seem to be silent? I read once that you can't legislate the heart. You can't legislate peace and you can't legislate kindness. Those are values that we have to work to educate and instill in our families, children and communities.
You know with the far, far too many senseless acts of violence that happen each and everyday in our world and the seemingly apathetic masses it can be hard to find the hopefulness in mankind and in the future. But then I stop and remember all of the amazing people I have met who don't fall ill to mass apathy, but have chosen to dedicate their lives to making things better. From my high school English teacher Mrs. Mallory who took the time to get to know a pudgy boy with a high-pitched voice and help to change his life and ultimately help him to find his own voice....or my friend Marla who sees every new job as a chance to fulfill her calling to make impactful change on people and communities...or Reina whose passion for our veterans and the need to ensure that they are all treated with the respect and dignity they so deserve goes unmatched...or Jackie who volunteers hours of her free time to man the D.C. Rape Crisis Center hotline...or to all the people I know who are advocating for a more fair justice system...and most especially I see hope on the faces of students and young adults so eager to learn and to understand challenges people and communities face so that they too can work to instill a preciousness of life, civility and love in our world.
So, I hope that you take some time this holiday to reflect on your life, your family and community and recognize that this world is not as hopeless as it can sometimes seem. That while there are some people who commit incredible evils there are so many who work tirelessly everyday to shape a life, a family, a community, a country, and a world full of hope, love and peace.