I probably get angry over way too many things but lately it’s the news that gets me most.

It makes me angry that violence and hate are, as standard practice, met with more violence and hate.  I get it though.  I do.  Something horrible happens and the knee jerk reaction is to do something horrible back.  Take the death penalty.  On one hand how can we justify any killing if “Thou Shalt Not” do it.  And how can we trust an imperfect and (at times totally blatantly) biassed system with anyone’s life?  An error at this level would be way more than an apology can cover.   BUT at the same time, if something happened to one of my people, I could see killing a mothercusser with my bare hands. No problem.  Of course I never want to test this theory but what I’m saying is, I understand anger.

So it isn’t so much the “why”in this that angers me in the world but the “how”.   Like how things get spun and how these things are fed in us.  Mostly how just about everything in the media is presented like something to be scared about.  Fear is the anthem of all news anymore.  Hell, even snowstorms get an evil soap opera-ish kind of theme song.  (Dun Dah DAHHH! Could this be the storm of the century? Is your shower water killing you?  And the breaking story on the man who intentionally puked on a kid at the ballgame?  All that and more on the news at 11.)  It’s understandable how we always are ready to fight when we are made to feel like everything and everyone everywhere is out to get us.

What’s my point here, it’s that we are a nation strung out on fear and jonesin’ for our next dose.  Look at the political race, campaigning is more about telling us why we should be afraid if this guy (or gal) wins than what the plan is for making this place better. (I’ll save my opinions on politics for another post, maybe…)  But really, it is what we’ve been groomed to expect.  Don’t tell me how you can help, tell me how the other guy is going to ruin it all.  Don’t explain the situation from a neutral space, tell me why I should be afraid and angry.  Fear is our go to emotion. And nothing good comes from fear with the exception of the kind of fear stemming from some real visceral danger in the present moment.  The kind of fear that propels us to act to save our lives.  I think it is safe to assume most of us are not experiencing this kind of fear on the daily.  But it sure feels like it when we switch on the news.

Our fight or flight response is perpetually on so there is no rest and digest happening.  We don’t get a chance to sit and process our thoughts, feelings or emotions because the source of our next bout of anxiety is just around the bend.  All we see is the horror in the world.  And how bad everything is and how hopeless it is to believe these wounds can be healed.  We can’t see that the young man, manipulated by someone bastardizing his religion, with a bomb strapped to his body needs our love more than our hate.  And this is not in any way meant to defend any type of terroristic  action or to belittle any emotion felt by anyone who has suffered a loss at the hand of violence.  We just never get a chance to hear from the people working to change the way we respond to this pain with anything but more fear and hatred. We have to seek them out ourselves, the people who can help us all find our way through.   They won’t be on the news because, well, peace is boring.

We need to learn how to stop the fear, how to shut off the incessant worry and how to respond to violence instead of react.   We need to find our peace within so we can work towards peace without.  People need to hear about the strength in not picking up the gun in response to our pain and anger.  Like I said, I get it – when terrible, despicable things happen, I get it.  But, thanks to all the fear being doled out, we are living at a level 5 so things at a level 1 register more like a 6.  You see what I’m saying?  This is how it can seem rational to someone to get angry enough to pick up a gun (and actually shoot!) when some asshat crosses into their lane and cuts them off.  This is how out of hand it is.  And believe me, I have felt road rage.  Shit, I have felt aisle rage in a crowded grocery store. (Bitch, have your phone conversation somewhere other than in front of the milk fridge!  I know you see us all waiting to get in there!)

But I digress.  I’m writing way more than I thought I was going to on this topic…So maybe that is my passion.  Helping people shut off their adrenaline and get well.  Helping them find their neutral space and release the fears that aren’t serving any good purpose.  Find a place where waging peace makes the most sense.   I am a healer by trade.  Maybe I can help.  Step one, finding my own peace with this crazy world.  Practice what I’m preaching.  I’ll start there.

“We don’t need no more troubles.  What we need is love, sweet love.” ~ Bob Marley