As I've written in prior entries about other mass shootings, it's important to hear the news, absorb the story, but then limit exposure to repeated broadcasting of the same information for prolonged periods of time. Take the information and allow yourself some time to process it, feel it, and move through your feelings about these events. But in the end, we each must work to find a way in our lives to take positive (not violent) action.
It is not helpful to fall into the trap of believing you are helpless to these events. There are already some who are stepping forward to donate blood, send condolences, assist the families and law enforcement workers, and donate or provide money and items needed that might be helpful. And if you are in a different state or miles from the event, spend some time contemplating how you can make a difference in your own community when it comes to these sorts of events. It doesn't have to be impressive.
In addition, don't let these kinds of events blind you to the good that others are doing out there in the world. There are many kind and good people who care very much about others and especially about children, teachers, and black lives. And kindness is the key. Teaching it and practicing it will help create human beings who can react properly to internal anger and rage, and kindness is what helps a community heal when an individual does not choose kindness.
Stress levels can be eased by choosing kindness in your behavior. You don't have to save the world, and you can't. Instead, you have to look closer to home and see what you can do in your own state, town, community and sometimes just your own neighborhood. What can you do to make your local schools safer? What can you do to make your community safer? Is it a vote? Writing an article? Making a donation? Talking to your local leaders? The error comes in believing it's always others who will solve the problem, whatever it is.
So we can't turn our eyes away. We do have to hear the story, but do not have to listen to it repeatedly for hours on end. With the information gathered, the next step is to process our feelings. We might need a good cry, especially over the loss of young innocent children, but equally over the lives of people of color! We might need to journal, go running or to work out. We might process things by taking a mental health day, or going for a walk or trip or vacation that allows us to process what we feel about this news. Maybe we need to talk it out with another person. But in the end, we have to get busy seeing that we have the ability to act in some non-violent way, and in a way that is within reach. In other words, it's not an unrealistic expectation placed on ourselves which can never be reached. But instead, is something we can actually do. Taking non-violent action can help ease your pain and stress, and kindness is the key.
"My religion is very simple. My religion is kindness." ~Dalai Lama
Thanks to R. Miller for the great photo, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/
