MARCH FOR OUR LIVES (On June 11, 2022)

Last night, I had a nightmare. I was in a forest with my kids, surrounded by heavy old trunks. And these trunks were falling down, one by one, at random. I never knew when the next one would hit the ground, or where. I was scared. The kids were fine, running around and having fun. But I had to keep my eyes on the trees. It was exhausting. Finally, I called my kids, asking them to take my hands, so that we could leave. At this point, the dream ended abruptly, because my youngest son Sky woke me up. 

This dream has an explanation. Over the last two weeks, my anxiety has spiked. When I wake up in the morning and the flood of thoughts comes rushing in, helping me remember what is going on in the world, one of the first words forming in my mind is “shooting”. 

If you know how much I value empathy and collaboration across political divides, you may wonder how this priority fits with my current fears. I still believe in the importance of a dialogue with people whose views are different from mine. Not everybody would listen, but chances for having a conversation may increase if we use Nonviolent Communication. Trying to have a dialogue does not mean that we should not take action: to be heard, to change things, to protect the ones we love the most.

This is why I am going to March for Our Lives on June 11 in Chicago. If you are interested in going, you should be able to find an event near you using the link above. Donating to the movement and going to the march are my ways to do something. Creating this blog and sharing thoughts with friends is another action I can take. Using my writing to figure out how people with differing views can coexist peacefully is my ongoing, albeit the least direct, contribution to the cause that I am so passionate about. Perhaps, you can find your own way to take part in this effort.

Each one of us has more power than we notice. If we learn to use this power, together we can create a change, not through blame and hatred, but through love. This is what I believe. I do not want to be afraid of the trees.