Today I needed to process grief, anger, frustration, sadness, and despair, not just sorrow. Please take time for yourself and time for introspection to understand that status of your feelings and wellbeing. We all need time for our thoughts and feelings, and as a society as a whole, this is often discouraged and repression or dismissal is encouraged. Addressing emotions is necessary. These are difficult times. Hatred is palpable. Genocide is occurring before our eyes, and the governments that claim the most noble of virtues of humanitarian principles are doing anything but embodying those principles, instead they are the ones committing the atrocities. This world is in such an upheaval and it hurts. What hurts the most is knowing that this war on innocent Palestinians could end immediately, and should end immediately, but the world powers are focused on revenge with blood and the world just watches too scared to speak up against such forces.
It truly breaks my spirit witnessing so many people thoroughly enjoy the pain of those who are hurting and suffering. We are seeing blatant hatred, racism, attacks on religions, and violence daily outside of the war and within the war. What is concerning is that it is only going to worsen as this entire situation festers. Awful acts create an environment of hate and that is what this world is experiencing.
All the while the death and destruction of innocent Palestinians continues. There is no end in sight and little assistance to millions who are under constant bombardments. As a result of unjust wars- hatred spreads, violence spreads, and death spreads.
You want to scream, and shout, and cry, but it feels like the leaders do not want to hear. There are times it seems hopeless, but one thing I have learned is to never lose your voice or feel that it doesn’t matter. It does. Even just sending that energy out into this world, it does something. Your thoughts, your energy, your intention matters. Your actions reflect all of those.
So this morning I took time for my thoughts and mounting sadness that seemed as if it could swallow me whole. I had to address my emotions or the reverberations of suppressing them would hurt greater. Hiking is therapeutic for me and my safe space where I go to process my emotions. I hiked and sobbed. When I hurt the most I go to nature alone to feel these deep emotions and just be. I need the space because there are times that these feelings are so large that it requires the span that it does. It is a safe place for deep introspection. There is no judgement in nature. I can feel as big as I need to, which is why I love my solitude on the trail. Pushing myself physically is also a part of this emotional release and processing. The greater the grief, the harder I push my body. Instead of internalizing this pain I have this way to let it go. The same can be said for my anger. Adding mileage and challenging my endurance chips away at the pain and hurt, it allows an outlet for these emotions.
It wasn’t enough. It won’t be enough. The war continues and worsens every minute. Every minute that aid is not allowed, or clean water delivered, electricity restored, medicine shipped to hospitals, and food shipments permitted, are minutes that Palestinians are dying and suffering.
It is imperative to continue even when hearts get heavy and weary. We cannot stop until there is peace for Palestine. Process your thoughts and feelings so that hurt and anger do not erupt in your own life.
Please talk to your children about processing emotions and how they are feeling and doing. Let them know how you are doing. Keep that dialogue going within your family. Share your pain, that is what makes us human and the beauty of a family is that we can share our pain, be vulnerable, and heal together.
These discussions and dealing with our emotions is how we make a change during a time of hatred. Instead of that hatred and violence, break the cycle and talk about your pain. Share your pain. This is what makes us human.
I am sorry if you are hurting. Please know that I care and I pray for healing for every person in pain right now. Your pain matters to me and I hope you find the other side. I hope we all can.
To the beautiful people of Palestine, I am sorry we are failing you. I am sorry this world does not want to see your immense pain, the death, and horrors you are living. I am sorry for the vehement hatred and horrific vengeance against your people. I pray for you all day long. I pray for each person I read who has been killed and ask for peace and justice for their soul. I witness the pictures and videos of the wounded and dead and I weep. I am sorry we are failing you.
How can anyone survive this? Dear God please help Palestine.
How does humanity come back from this? Have we learned nothing from our history? All of the lessons of compassion and empathy that emerged from these horrors from our past, have they have been erased or forgotten? Fight for them: those lessons, that empathy, that compassion.
When we do not give into sorrow or hopelessness, this is how the human spirit grows. This is how we break cycles.