Yesterday, when a friend mentioned "the recent school shooting," I had to ask, "Which one?" We live in a difficult time in a hurting world - so much so that when it comes to mass murder, "the recent one" is insufficient as an identifier.
In spite of this, I am not discouraged. I am convinced of the truth of Bessel van der Kolk's words,"Our capacity to destroy one another is matched by our capacity to heal one another. Restoring relationships and community is central to restoring well-being."
I believe in healing and restoration because I see it happening every day through my work at Monarch Mental Health. It is a great privilege to be given access to someone's innermost heart - to walk alongside them for a while, witnessing their suffering and sharing in their journey. I am in awe of the beautiful souls that visit me, working their way to wellness like plants stretching toward the light.
Obviously, I know I can't fix all the world's problems; I've still got a few of my own to deal with, to be honest. But I can help make things quite a bit better for some people, and in turn, they share their courage and hope with me. We are healing one another and healing ourselves.