Reflection: Soul's Healing

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As I close my eyes and drift away to a land where there is love, health, peace, and blessings. I wanted to take the time to think and reflect.

     The truth is that I am thinking and reflecting upon the Parkland shooting, that has fuelled the gun debate. Students are finally raising their voices to say enough is enough. This is the beauty of student voice, when sparked by one and united through many, it does possess the capability to enact change, new ways of thinking for betterments, or for the causes that they have raised their voices for. As mentioned in my earlier thoughts, whilst I am deeply sympathetic for the lives lost, the losses and the psychological impact this massacre has left upon this school and community, we have to think and wonder. Why did these students have their voices placed in priority? Was it because they actually decided to raise their voices? Or was it because of factors surrounding race and socio/economic status, did the race of these students affect how and why their voices were heard? The response does raise a question about the invisible inequities, but on another note it is representative of the fact that sometimes it takes a majority to create and implement change, or new ways of thinking for those living at the margins, or minority populations. This is a cruel truth, but being a minority, I certainly know what it feels like to be viewed and placed on the no so important list. 

     The current debate has also allowed us to think about guns, gun culture, guns and tradition, guns and history, agriculture, farming and recreational use. It could be that it is time for revisions as to accessibility, and for what reasons guns are carried. The current debates and questions have reminded me of the human quest for a search of answers. Which is what happens to us as we face, or begin to cope with any after-math. We question, and we are left with why? We can relate these deaths to any destruction that is happening around the world, from the frequent earthquakes that happen in Mexico, or the recent death toll of over 500 in Syria last week. All are life forms, and what they all share in common is that there is death, and loss of life. But what is different is the importance that is placed upon the loss. 

     Sometimes we hear of these deaths, and simply turn away to carry on with life as normal, because we think it is normal, but it is not. What is the difference between the massacre in Parkland, or deaths from the act of war in Syria? The root difference I would say is, one happened through an act of modern terror, and the other in a region that is blanketed with constant warfare and struggle. So when we hear the word war, we automatically think that death will occur. As an international community we have to take a stand against the cruelty that is taking place, and at the national level, look within and see what we could do better. The ultimate fact is that death is inevitable, it is a reality that we will all face. But the tragedy is - how could anyone desire to see any loss of life at the national / international level when youth and children haven't even began to live? And on another note to think how we talk about issues, and the languages we choose to use. When we think about mental health, are we talking "mental health", or paving the way to use issues to reinforce stereotypes and stigma? 

​     These thoughts have been written to once again open our eyes, while what we might want to wish away the hurt that has happened to us, and go away in an instant, we have to remember others live with a threat to their lives each and every day. It shouldn't be normal in any case, and asks us to re-think: Return to our essence to love and care for each other. Embracing differences, but through a united front as a united human family, at the level of national and international. 

​My thoughts to share with love & Kindness! :) 
​Notes: These thoughts were originally hand-written on February 26th, 2017.
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