Choosing Love Over Fear

Like most Americans, I woke up to an unspeakable tragedy yesterday morning. This horror, following Mother Natures wrath, along with political unrest, hatred, racism, online bullying, the war on terrorism or should I say “war on humans” has me asking, “WHAT IS GOING ON?”

I feel a collective sense of helplessness and frustration at the state of our world right now.

Whether automatic weapons, swords, poison or gas chambers, the mass killing of humans, by humans, has been a recurring event throughout history. However, it has never been so accessible for one person to kill so many with so little effort.

With instant awareness of global events, from hand held devices and social media, it has never been easier to know immediately of these tragedies taking place worldwide. With videos, cell phone photos, social media posts and non-stop news reports our instant awareness is making grief, sadness, worry or despair more easily accessible, even if you weren’t there.

We feel what they feel, when we hear their horrific story of how they survived or didn’t.

I weeped as the first picture I saw, when I heard the news of the Las Vegas shooting, was of two women laying lifeless covered in blood.

I felt anguish at how horrific the scene must have been, as I heard the story of a wife, who husband shielded her from bullets and was shot in the back as he saved her. I hurt for her and both of their families. They were only married a year ago. It could have been any one of us and I’m sure this tragedy has affected someone reading this.

My heart aches for the 500+ who were injured, 59 who perished and for this world.

With the recent passing of my mom, I know all too well how difficult it is to lose someone you are so close to and how giving is the greatest triumph over grief. I cannot imagine the families who are suffering with loss of loved ones right now.

How do you cope with such anguish and frustration at such a horrific tragedy?

I immediately thought “What can I do? Can I give blood here, to help across the country? Why would someone do this? What is happening to people, to drive them to do something, so unimaginable?”

It is puzzling to me how humans can so easily kill their own species, because of the color of their skin, place of origin, religious beliefs or apparently, for no reason at all. There have been so many mass shootings in places that are supposed to be safe, like a school, church or even a night club or concert where people go to have fun.

Does this mean we aren’t safe anywhere? Should we live in fear? Would gun control keep people, who are so disconnected from who they are and their source, from killing people? Or would they just choose another weapon? The towers in New York were not destroyed with guns, they were destroyed with planes. The Boston marathon was turned into a horror scene with a bomb, as well as Oklahoma City and the list goes on. I am not against gun control, but it’s not guns, it’s the broken humans wielding them.

Where there is light, darkness cannot exist. So where there is love, fear cannot exist. Love is a natural instinct for humans. No one could commit such acts if they were coming from a place of love and they are not.

The best way to heal your own grief is to help another with theirs.

As Mr Rogers said: “When I was a little boy and would see scary things in the news, my mom would say to me “Look for the helpers, you will always find people who are helping.”

Just being in the same space with someone grieving, helps them to feel your compassion. Even if you don’t say a word, your energy is supporting and lifting their vibration. Listening to their tears falling and saying “I’m so sorry,” is sometimes enough.

Even though we are souls, we are having a human experience and we all need to be touched.

Positive energy is a powerful source of healing. When done with intention, you can transfer healing energy to anyone in need of it, through touch or even with understanding eyes.

Human touch and compassion is so healing. But don’t think you need to be in the same room to be effective. You can send loving energy, white light, compassion and healing, through your prayers, mediations and focus.

As Ellen so eloquently tweeted Monday: “Care. Love. Be outraged. Be devastated. Just don’t give up. The world needs good humans today.”

You can start contributing now to make this world a better place, by graciously donating a smile, opening a door, saying thank you or stopping to help someone stranded on the side of the road (as my dad always did) or to help an elderly person (as my mom always did.) My mother was a nurse and she taught me that touching someone on the hand, who is sick is one of the best ways to help them heal. We all need to feel the compassion and understanding to know we are not alone. We cannot survive and definitely will not thrive without love. I always wonder if the people who commit these acts of violence are being withheld love or did as a child.

A life without giving to others is truly an unfulfilled life. Your impact is always felt, no matter how small.

You can direct your emotions and energy for good, instead of just being angry and doing nothing, if you are at a distance from the disaster as most are. Instead of being frustrated, asking, “Why did this happen?” Ask yourself, “How can I help?”

Steve Sisolak, Clark County Commission Chair from Las Vegas started raising funds to assist the victims of the tragic Las Vegas shooting. Funds will be used to provide relief and financial support to the victims and families of the horrific Las Vegas mass shooting​. You can donate money, even if it is $1, every dime counts.

Instead of anger and fear, come from a place of love, from a place of forgiveness, from a place of equality, when we speak to each other in our every day lives. We all have a soul and that makes us all equals. We cannot let fear take over. We have no choice but to feel what we feel. We are humans, we have emotions, but we have a choice in how we respond and how we act. We can choose to move from a place of love and be a force for good with our energy.

It is unfortunate, that it is usually tragedy that ignites humanity to come together, support each other and love more. What would happen if we did that every day?

That is your task, to make the world better now, by choosing love through your words, through your actions and with your helping hand.

Look for the helpers or better yet, be one.

All my love,

Laura