Murder. Rampage. Hate. Fear.
The Worst Massacre in U.S. History.
Sadness.
Fear.
Anger
Compassion.
Confusion.
More Fear.
How do we get through this? How will the families and friends of the victims get through this?
My love goes out to the people in Orlando and all those who have been affected.
Their pain may never end.
I am so sad and angry that this man felt he had the right to kill innocent people.
How do we keep going, knowing such anger, fear and madness exist in the world?
How do we deal with this latest horror, this loss of life, this immense loss that hurts all of us?
With HOPE.
Think of the people you know who have amazed you with their positive outlooks and their view of the world. Think of the survivors we know—survivors of disease, divorce, deaths…these are people who amaze us with their strength.
They never give up hope.
We are so strong and so much stronger than we realize. The spirit, the spirit we all have—call it your soul if you wish— is truly amazing and we need to remember this in all our trials and when we are afraid and angry.
An amazing book to read is Man’s Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl. Between 1942 and 1945, psychiatrist Viktor Frankl labored in four different death camps, including Auschwitz, while his parents, brother, and pregnant wife perished. Based on his own experience and the experiences of those he treated in his practice, Frankl holds that we cannot avoid suffering but we can choose how to cope with it, find meaning in it, and move forward with renewed purpose.
Frankl’s theory—known as logotherapy, from the Greek word logos (“meaning”)—holds that our primary drive in life is not pleasure, as Freud maintained, but the discovery and pursuit of what we personally find meaningful.
In other words…HOPE.
I feel that holding onto hope is holding onto love. Loving yourself and other people enough to not give up. Life can be hard. But hold onto hope.
How do we do that in this particular case? How do we encourage ourselves and others to feel hope in the face of this devastating horror?
Show love to other people and to yourself.
Encourage and support the people who are different from us, because we are all connected. What hurts one, hurts all. What can heal one can start the process to heal all of us.
We need to stop the hate, the ignorance, the confusion. Do not tolerate hate-filled conversations.
Send peaceful thoughts out to all people.
Learn more about what you are afraid of.
Become open to new ideas and thinking.
Teach your children to be understanding and loving in their dealings with all people. Even if you don’t understand other groups of people, let them live their lives.
Stay away from hate and negative thinking.
Fill your spirit with love and hope through laughter, quiet and meditation.
Remind yourself that there are good people in the world and concentrate on being one of them. Always.
Hope is the Thing with Feathers
“Hope” is the thing with feathers –
That perches in the soul –
And sings the tune without the words –
And never stops – at all –
And sweetest – in the Gale – is heard –
And sore must be the storm –
That could abash the little Bird
That kept so many warm –
I’ve heard it in the chillest land –
And on the strangest Sea –
Yet – never – in Extremity,
It asked a crumb – of me.