We are Not Meant to Carry all of this Grief Alone

We are Not Meant to Carry all of this Grief Alone

The following post was shared on the Treetops Collective Instagram and Facebook pages on May 25 following gun violence and mass shootings in Buffalo, NY, Kentwood, MI and Uvalde, TX.

Inconceivable loss, pain, and injustice all around us, filling our news feeds and weighing on our hearts and minds. Shootings in our community outside a school this week. And now the loss of these precious children - many of whom came seeking safety and a better life in our country. It’s too much.

We continue to wrestle with what it means to be global citizens, inherently connected to the whole of humanity, and also participants of a particular community in a particular place. How do we not look away from human suffering, but also know when we need to care for our hearts in order to show up faithfully for the people in front of us, our family and neighbors who are shouldering hard things? In order to respond and be willing to be inconvenienced we also need rest and care personally. There is no road map for this, but as a community it is worth our consideration so we can be committed for the long haul.

May we be people who do not shoulder the collective weight of all of these tragedies on our own, isolation creates more fear and despair. Now is a time we need each other to grieve together and be hope for each other. We may be weary, but together we can find the endurance needed to create more peaceful, connected communities.

Join us in taking 5 minutes today to respond by offering care to a neighbor, checking in on someone you know who has been holding a lot, calling a legislator about the safety of our communities, or simply seeking a few moments to feel whole yourself.