"You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love." Galatians 5:13
Trauma reveals a lot about a person. When catastrophe strikes, we see the good and the bad of humanity. We all react in various ways to varying degrees. I keep watching the coverage of the catastrophe in my home state waiting to hear the negative news report. You know the one: someone did something wrong and now this whole event is all their fault or some kind of similar rhetoric. I don't do this because I pine for opposition. Rather, I have been conditioned in a way. We all have. A disaster strikes and we wait for the horrendous news where we all hang our heads. I am not seeing that though. Instead, I am witnessing an outage of flat bottom boats because people are buying them so fast all in an effort to help their fellow man.
When my oldest was about to enter kindergarten, a new buzz word came on the scene. It is still around today but not as prevalent. We have had time to take a deep breath and take a step back. That buzz word was "bully." It was in all the parenting magazines and on all the talk shows. No longer did kids have the benefit of the doubt. Children were not given a second chance if they said something to someone not realizing the implications because they are three for goodness sake. Nope. Instead, your child was a bully if they said or did one mean thing. I was convinced that my oldest was going to wind up in the principal's office on the first day of school because he was touted a "bully." A trusted friend, media, and the social phenomenon that created the buzz around bullying convinced me that my four year old was a bully because sometimes he reacted impulsively. Instead of using his words from time-to-time, he may push a kid instead not realizing the implications. So, there I sat worried fervently that my kid was going to be the class bully all because I was led to believe that his behavior matched the buzz word of the day. If you met this kid today, you wouldn't believe these words that I am typing. Trust me. This kid is the most empathetic caring individual I know. His heart is bigger than Texas and I am not just saying that because I am his mom. I am also not negating the fact that there are bullies and that we needed to talk about bullying and how to handle it. My point, however, is that all to often we are led to believe something that may or may not have validity.
Fast forward to today. We have a couple new buzz words. You know what they are? Racism. Division. Before you delete my post, shut your computer down, or cuss me out because I am a white girl with privilege, let me explain. Just like bullying, I am not nullifying that racism and division exist. I absolutely agree that we have an issue not just in our country, but in our world when it comes to racism and division. That is not what I am talking about here. Instead, the buzz behind these words lead us to believe that everyone is racists and we all hate each other. I am led to believe that my neighbor does not like me and my neighbor is led to believe that I am a racist. I am led to believe that certain types of people are to be feared thus they do not deserve basic human rights or my time.
Y'all, I'm not buying it. I refuse to buy into the rhetoric. I look at what is occurring in flood-ravaged Houston and what I see is person after person helping one another. Even the media is struggling trying to find something negative to report on continuing to come back to the fact that people weren't asked to evacuate but they aren't getting very far. Instead, I see empathy, unity, and compassion. I don't see people going door-to-door asking race or religion and only helping "their kind." I see the complete opposite. I see love. I see aid. I see people helping their fellow man because it's the right thing to do; it's in our nature. This is how we were created and what we were created for.
Just because I say we have buzz words and we are led to believe a certain way does not refute that there is a problem and we need to talk about it and figure a way to do better. It does, however, settle the storm a bit and help us lay down our grievances to help our neighbors. You know, we get so focused on what the government should or shouldn't do. We shout so loud at our politicians to do the work that we should be doing in our homes. Do you want to fight racism? Have more conversations with your family around the dinner table. Have people in your home who look and live differently than your family. Do you want the moral standard to rise in this country? Watch what you are saying (especially in front of your kids), what you are listening to, what you are watching on television, and how you speak to those you come into contact with on a daily basis. Do you want more unity than division? Don't be afraid to be friends with people who don't believe what you believe. One of my very best friends is so opposite me on some big issues. That doesn't stop me. She is a much needed voice in my life.
If you don't want to be led to believe the buzz words of the day, then look for the helpers in times of crisis. What do you see? What are they doing? Look internally. Are you aiding this new cultural norm?
The level of humanity we are witnessing down in south Texas has always been there. This is not a new concept. These people did not change because of a catastrophe. They have always been helpers. They have always been empathetic. They have always been one to give the shirt off their back to help another out. They are the norm. Not our buzz word of the day. It doesn't mean people don't exist that emulate the word of the day. They just do not have as much power as we are led to believe.
We are created to love. We are created in God's image. God is love. I know some will ask how a loving God could allow for such a horrific event, but that's another conversation for another day. All we need to know in this moment is that we are created in the image of God and he is love. Don't let anything or anyone else lead you to believe otherwise.
I pray that we live more like what we are witnessing in the wake of Harvey; that this catastrophe changes our rhetoric and that we believe we can be unified. We believe and live to make one another better propelling us towards something more unprecedented than this hurricane: lives lived side-by-side with one another unified in love.
Love & Blessings,
Meg
"So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them." Genesis 1:27
"A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another." John 13:34
Trauma reveals a lot about a person. When catastrophe strikes, we see the good and the bad of humanity. We all react in various ways to varying degrees. I keep watching the coverage of the catastrophe in my home state waiting to hear the negative news report. You know the one: someone did something wrong and now this whole event is all their fault or some kind of similar rhetoric. I don't do this because I pine for opposition. Rather, I have been conditioned in a way. We all have. A disaster strikes and we wait for the horrendous news where we all hang our heads. I am not seeing that though. Instead, I am witnessing an outage of flat bottom boats because people are buying them so fast all in an effort to help their fellow man.
When my oldest was about to enter kindergarten, a new buzz word came on the scene. It is still around today but not as prevalent. We have had time to take a deep breath and take a step back. That buzz word was "bully." It was in all the parenting magazines and on all the talk shows. No longer did kids have the benefit of the doubt. Children were not given a second chance if they said something to someone not realizing the implications because they are three for goodness sake. Nope. Instead, your child was a bully if they said or did one mean thing. I was convinced that my oldest was going to wind up in the principal's office on the first day of school because he was touted a "bully." A trusted friend, media, and the social phenomenon that created the buzz around bullying convinced me that my four year old was a bully because sometimes he reacted impulsively. Instead of using his words from time-to-time, he may push a kid instead not realizing the implications. So, there I sat worried fervently that my kid was going to be the class bully all because I was led to believe that his behavior matched the buzz word of the day. If you met this kid today, you wouldn't believe these words that I am typing. Trust me. This kid is the most empathetic caring individual I know. His heart is bigger than Texas and I am not just saying that because I am his mom. I am also not negating the fact that there are bullies and that we needed to talk about bullying and how to handle it. My point, however, is that all to often we are led to believe something that may or may not have validity.
Fast forward to today. We have a couple new buzz words. You know what they are? Racism. Division. Before you delete my post, shut your computer down, or cuss me out because I am a white girl with privilege, let me explain. Just like bullying, I am not nullifying that racism and division exist. I absolutely agree that we have an issue not just in our country, but in our world when it comes to racism and division. That is not what I am talking about here. Instead, the buzz behind these words lead us to believe that everyone is racists and we all hate each other. I am led to believe that my neighbor does not like me and my neighbor is led to believe that I am a racist. I am led to believe that certain types of people are to be feared thus they do not deserve basic human rights or my time.
Y'all, I'm not buying it. I refuse to buy into the rhetoric. I look at what is occurring in flood-ravaged Houston and what I see is person after person helping one another. Even the media is struggling trying to find something negative to report on continuing to come back to the fact that people weren't asked to evacuate but they aren't getting very far. Instead, I see empathy, unity, and compassion. I don't see people going door-to-door asking race or religion and only helping "their kind." I see the complete opposite. I see love. I see aid. I see people helping their fellow man because it's the right thing to do; it's in our nature. This is how we were created and what we were created for.
Just because I say we have buzz words and we are led to believe a certain way does not refute that there is a problem and we need to talk about it and figure a way to do better. It does, however, settle the storm a bit and help us lay down our grievances to help our neighbors. You know, we get so focused on what the government should or shouldn't do. We shout so loud at our politicians to do the work that we should be doing in our homes. Do you want to fight racism? Have more conversations with your family around the dinner table. Have people in your home who look and live differently than your family. Do you want the moral standard to rise in this country? Watch what you are saying (especially in front of your kids), what you are listening to, what you are watching on television, and how you speak to those you come into contact with on a daily basis. Do you want more unity than division? Don't be afraid to be friends with people who don't believe what you believe. One of my very best friends is so opposite me on some big issues. That doesn't stop me. She is a much needed voice in my life.
If you don't want to be led to believe the buzz words of the day, then look for the helpers in times of crisis. What do you see? What are they doing? Look internally. Are you aiding this new cultural norm?
The level of humanity we are witnessing down in south Texas has always been there. This is not a new concept. These people did not change because of a catastrophe. They have always been helpers. They have always been empathetic. They have always been one to give the shirt off their back to help another out. They are the norm. Not our buzz word of the day. It doesn't mean people don't exist that emulate the word of the day. They just do not have as much power as we are led to believe.
We are created to love. We are created in God's image. God is love. I know some will ask how a loving God could allow for such a horrific event, but that's another conversation for another day. All we need to know in this moment is that we are created in the image of God and he is love. Don't let anything or anyone else lead you to believe otherwise.
I pray that we live more like what we are witnessing in the wake of Harvey; that this catastrophe changes our rhetoric and that we believe we can be unified. We believe and live to make one another better propelling us towards something more unprecedented than this hurricane: lives lived side-by-side with one another unified in love.
Love & Blessings,
Meg
"So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them." Genesis 1:27
"A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another." John 13:34
Comments