When the world feels too violent, we must be peaceful
Originally posted on The Consciously Parenting Blog July 11, 2016
The news is heartbreaking. So much violence. So much fear. So much sadness and pain.
I don’t have all the answers.
We, as individuals, can’t change what’s happening today.
But please, find what you CAN do to make the world a better place.
Start with your own family.
That is not insignificant.
It’s easy to feel powerless when the news is so overwhelming.
And it’s easy to fall more into fear, to react, to scream. And sometimes we need to do that.
And then we need to remember the wise words of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.:
“Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.”
Love.
Find more love.
Give more love.
Love your children.
Love your neighbor.
Learn from what’s happening in the bigger world and make it different in your own circles.
We’re all connected.
It’s not insignificant.
If all the mamas and all the papas pull their children closer, sheltering them from the grown-up stuff that needs a LOT of adult attention to work out, we begin to change the world.
When we raise children who are loved, who feel protected, we are changing the world.
When we pull in just a bit, we’re not retreating from the world, but focusing on our own little part in it: our children are looking to us to see if we’re safe or not.
We may not always be able to keep them safe, but our job is to keep them safe the best we can. Our children’s job is to be children who don’t have to worry, at least until they’re old enough to actually do something with the information.
Fear in our children constricts. Love opens.
Fear breeds more fear, powerlessness, and overwhelm. Love breeds possibilities.
A quick note about your children and media. Shelter them from the news as much as you can. Be aware of what they’re seeing. Turn off your television. As overwhelming as the news is for us, it is more so for our children. Yes, even if you have a baby who you think isn’t able to understand. And find the hope in yourself so that you can share it with your children.
