WTH?
No, I mean seriously — and I’m not trying to be unkind — what the heck is wrong with you?
My daughter sat me down yesterday to interview me about five events with “historical significance” in my lifetime. Criteria required large-scale impact and change so getting cast in a play, swimming with the dolphins, my wedding day and the birth of my kids were not eligible. My first thought then, of course, was the Apollo 11 Moon Landing on my 3rd birthday. (Yeah, okay, do the math. I’m good with it.) But from there, the events were all tragic ones for our country and our world.
Since when did shootings, bombings, taking hostages, self-righteously threatening lives, and flying planes into buildings ever solve problems? I’m not trying to belittle anything. Just breaking down the topic to get a better grip on the mindset in our world today.
Bombings at an Ariana Grande concert and shootings in Vegas … what did they get anyone but death and sadness? What did they say? What did they accomplish? When did demonstrations etched in violence ever solve a social issue? And who believes Hate and Unforgiveness allow humankind to move forward emotionally or physically?
We need to find a Release for our intense anger, festering resentment, fear, frustration, sadness, intolerance and anxiety. But we need to choose a Healthy way to express our thoughts and feelings — one without guns and bombs. A Healthy way to move past differences. A Healthy way to get our point across. A Healthy way to foster change when change is needed. And, we need less Blame and more Acceptance.
I think back to an Historically Significant moment that was NOT during my lifetime, thank you very much, but that I studied in school. Rosa Parks decision to sit at the front of the bus. She didn’t shoot the idiots who wanted to send her to the back. She didn’t even shout obscenities or threaten to seek out and harm their next of kin. She sat down, quietly. And that incident started a ball rolling with more power than a gunshot.
One of the other incidents I mentioned to my daughter was Watergate. No guns there. This was something she hadn’t heard of. To me it is historically significant because that event originated our distrust and scrutiny of the White House and our leaders. Watergate turned the tide on the power of the press, for better and for worse.
The others I selected, you ask? The Assassination Attempt on Ronald Reagan, the Iranian Hostage Crisis and the Paris Bombings. I thought of Columbine and the many school shootings. I even thought of the Assassination of John Lennon and the deaths of Prince and David Bowie, all life altering historically significant events to me. Sadly, I came up with very few positively focused occurrences that altered life as I know it, with exception of our country’s election of the first African American president which to me defined Hope in the future of mankind — no matter your politics.
It’s time to be Brave, people. It’s time to take a stand against this trend. It’s time to grow up and express Kindness and Courage over Hate and Intolerance. It’s time to Forgive people who hurt us. It’s time to let things go instead of hanging on to prejudice and the past. We may never see eye to eye on some issues. I may dislike what you have to say. But pulling out a Gun will not solve the bigger problem. And stoking the fire of Hate will not build bridges and help us move forward.
Pretty sure if the Founding Fathers knew guns were going to be used to arbitrarily, they might have clarified the “right to bear arms.” Clearly mankind has some issues with self-control. Guns don’t kill people. People kill people. Yeah, yeah I know that. But rapid fire machine guns in the hands of the public. Not sure I get the need …
Anyway …
I’m going to take a stand. I’m moving forward. I choose to Forgive and Let Go of past hurts and unkindness, past grievances and slights. No, I may not choose to renew relationships that have damaged or affected me in negative ways. But, the slate is clean. The past is the past and I will no longer allow it to frighten me or hold me back. I won’t walk on eggshells.
We all have people and occurrences that have caused us pain. It’s not just Vegas and Columbine that spread Hate. But we can choose our response. Choose our actions. Choose to rise above or move past them. The misguided individuals who shot up schools, bombed a Paris subway and concert, shot up San Bernadino, Las Vegas and the Orlando bar, and flew planes into the Twin Towers were angry and chose to punish innocents in a violent way. Their message of Hate was clear. But, what else did that action say? What can we do in the face of so much anger? What positive changes occurred in response to these acts of violence? I can’t think of any. Except that it brought people together, made us aware of the power of hate, and invited us to choose another way.
But, did we?
That’s the world in which my kids are growing up in. That’s the world where people argue on Facebook through “social media” and belittle others on television. That’s the world where teachers can’t punish or correct students without worrying that angry parents will confront them. That’s the world where every day I send my daughter to school and I get to worry about what might happen to her there.
One day, Paige’s kids will interview her about five events with “historical significance” in her lifetime. My Hope is that her answer has more Moon Landings, fewer shootings, more tolerance and appreciation of individuality, and less violence.
Dear World … get it together. If not for me, for the next generation. Put away the guns and the hate. And start building the bridge to Forgiveness and Acceptance.
— Jenni
Let’s take a field trip to Season 1/Episode 1, shall we? Do you recall the scene of her discovery that Ross — her childhood sweetheart who been shipped off to the Colonies to fight in the American Revolution because he was kind of a despicable, rabble rouser — was Not dead as she had been informed. He was alive and well. And his timing in letting her know was impeccable. He showed up at her family engagement dinner where they were celebrating her engagement to cousin-not-as-handsome-not-as-dynamic-but-not-as-difficult-either Francis.
And don’t tell me you didn’t want them to have their moment. The sexual tension since Episode 1 had taken us there. Oh, we were conflicted. We love Ross and Demalza. But this thing between Ross and Elizabeth had been simmering for years. And so “it” happened. They wanted it. But … guilt and regret hit Ross. So he bailed on Elizabeth. Not even a morning after phone call or a thanks but I’m thinking we made a mistake and should go our separate ways/it’s not you, it’s me conversation. He just slunk away and left her hanging.
my own little corner ... by jenni 