I have many thoughts and emotions regarding the recent details and coverage of the massacre in Connecticut and stabbings in China. My heart weeps for the ones lost and the ones who remain. I have a thousand thoughts but no real words to express myself properly. I suppose I’m still processing. What is apparent is the great debate and strong opinions around:
• Gun control
• Mental health issues
• Safety in schools
• USA deaths by guns versus the rest of the world
• Media coverage (inappropriate interviewing of young victims, sensationalizing etc.)
• Religion to be put back into schools
Emotions run high leaving us with many things to discuss, argue and condemn based on the various opinions.
For me, it’s clear that part of the problem is MENTAL AND EMOTIONAL WELLNESS.
I just don’t believe anyone with good mental health would commit such crimes against another life.
Until we make mental health a PRIORITY both for ourselves, our family, our workplace and society as a whole, we are going to have problems. Globally, mental illnesses are on the rise so it needs our attention. If we continue to ignore its importance we will continue to have tragedies.
It is not with FEAR we should approach this subject but with a fierce DETERMINATION to support and strive for healthy mental and emotional wellness.
In my opinion, it needs to be TOP PRIORITY for EVERYTHING else is affected by how healthy or unhealthy you are inside your head. It is the quiet but explosive epidemic in our world today.
Carl Jung repeatedly said:
I am convinced that exploration of the psyche is the science of the future…this is the science we need most of all, for it is gradually becoming more and more obvious that neither famine nor earthquakes nor microbes nor carcinoma, but MAN HIMSELF IS THE GREATEST PERIL TO MAN, just because there is no adequate defense against psychic epidemics, which cause infinitely more devastation than the greatest natural catastrophes.
Not only do we need to make mental and emotional wellness our priority but we need to take a good look at our societal VALUES and MORAL COMPASS.
Mindless television programs, gossip magazines or social media grapevines are NOT part of my life. I do not want my brain (which affects my thoughts, actions, perspectives, words etc) to be filled with rubbish. Garbage in will lead to garbage out.
I do not find name calling, back stabbing, lying, cheating, and criticizing entertaining.
Where is the RESPECT for your fellow human being and for yourSELF?
Is this how we HONOR another person, another LIFE?
Where do LOVE, KINDNESS, EMPATHY/COMPASSION, HONESTY and INTEGRITY rate in the list of PRIORITIES?
Are we teaching these values to our children? Are we showing them by example what they mean?
Ultimately our issues whether they be gun control, environmental concerns, bullying or homelessness is a PEOPLE issue…it’s a matter of CHOICES individually and as a whole. I realize I am greatly simplifying things, but perhaps that’s what we need to do: simplify.
I don’t pretend to have the answer but I do believe by putting MENTAL HEALTH and STRONG MORALS as a PRIORITY it will only HELP and not hinder our society and our own lives.
With a smile,
Tina
