Turning the Tides

I've gone through a number of writing-spurts on this blog, with an equal number of purposes. These days it's about tbi therapy, sharing my crazy stories, and trying to make this a better/safer world through understanding/love/strength/encouragement...by finding my own voice and encouraging others who recognize that silence is...killing us to find their voices as well. It was Br*ck Turner's "victim's" letter** that really sent me over the edge of rage that got me to start this crazy journey...I used "" because she is so much more than a victim...I don't really know what to call her...except My Hero. As painful as it was to read her letter, her courage in facing him, and letting her own words be heard shock this country to it's core. It pissed us off, it made is cry, it triggered us, it opened our eyes, it enraged us enough for her that we became enraged enough for ourselves and every other victim out there to stop letting those people who hurt us (not only "perps" but all the well-meaning, and not so well meaning people who have silenced/shamed us) continue to silence us. I hope she knows that she HAS started a revolution, a revolution I hope to continue in some small way with my little blog.

Tonight, my heart is heavy for the men and women of color in this nation who know that they are not safe...not safe from crazy white folks, and not safe from the police. My heart is heavily most recently for the 2 black men who were murdered by the police, and for all of the many people of color, and their loved ones who know that because of the color of their skin, that they are walking targets. It breaks my heart to know that my non-white friends can't drive down the street, or walk into a store without being treated like a criminal. I keep trying to figure out how I can make this better, but I haven't come up with any solutions other than to continue to express my disgust and intolerance of racism.

My heart is also heavy for the police officers who were gunned down just a few nights ago. What is this nightmare our country is having that we can't seem to wake up from? How do we wake up from it? How do we change our course? How do we conquer hate with love...can we conquer hate with love? During a meditation last week I had what felt like a revelation that there is no way to "kill" negativity/evil, but that instead it would be transformed by encouraged the health (love) of the rest of humanity. In this moment, that revelation feels like a pipe dream, but I will hold out a little hope that if I keep doing my best to "lead with Love", that maybe that Love can grow enough to turn the tides...

Maybe a few more voices will speak up to shame and silence those who encourage hate...now wouldn't that be a tide turner?

**In case you haven't read the letter, or need a refresher: https://www.buzzfeed.com/katiejmbaker/heres-the-powerful-letter-the-stanford-victim-read-to-her-ra?utm_term=.fiY1yOoGj#.vn2GRQ5py