A few thoughts have been running through my mind since I
found out about the murders in Orlando this past weekend. Although every time situations
like this happen my heart twists in agony for the suffering of those involved, this
one hit close to home since I grew up just outside Orlando and many of my
friends still call it home. I was so thankful that Facebook has a new “check”
where people in the area can let their friends know that they’re safe. I’m saddened
beyond words that such a feature is needed but such is the world we live in.
Social media also has been great at proving just about
everybody’s got an opinion on it. The right to free speech is letting them
share and share they are. I’ve seen quite the range of comments and opinions
and information about a variety of mostly related topics. Even though it’ll
likely get lost in cyberland for the sake of my own peace of mind I’m adding my
two cents for whatever they might be worth.
My first thought is that I think unfortunately we’ve gotten
really good at trying to treat symptoms instead of actual problems. I may be
wrong but I don’t think this is about guns and I don’t think it’s even really about
the LBGT Community or Muslims or any of that. Those things all play into it
sure, but there are plenty of Muslims that wouldn’t condone the actions taken,
there are people that are part of the LBGT community that own guns and fully support
freedom of religion, unfortunately there are Muslims that have attacked other
groups of people using other kind of weapons, and even more to the point- there
are many other people that have committed other atrocities that aren’t related
to any of these things. What it all comes down to really is hate.
We’ve gotten more intellectual about our hate and we hide it
well but it’s still there. We may not go to the extremes that that were
involved in this instance but we still have it lurking beneath the surface. We
hate the people that would do this sort of thing. We hate the people who have
allowed this to happen. We hate the laws that didn’t stop it. We hate the way
the reports have covered it. We hate that we can’t do anything about it. We
hate that the world is in chaos. We hate that everyone’s prayers for the people
involved haven’t changed what’s happened. We hate a lot.
I want it over with. Please don’t misunderstand me, I don’t
condone the actions that were taken or want to in any way seem like I want to
justify the choices that someone makes to harm anyone in any way. I just don’t
want to live with the hating and blaming any more. That may seem overly naive
but I’ve lived through the terror of tragedy that struck too close to home. I’ve
been within feet of a classmate that decided to act on their hate and took the
life of someone and changed his own forever. I know from experience that we can
hate things and people all we want but it only perpetuates the cycle. It just
makes us more bitter, more divided, and more afraid at times when what’s needed
is more compassion, more unity, and more courage.
I really believe that unless we can remove the hatred these
tragic events are not going to stop. Why would they? We can talk about gun
control all we want but people with a desire to harm are still going to find a way to do it. We can legislate
and debate back and forth with PC hogwash keeping us from admitting the basic
fact that we’re all human. When we start putting labels on ourselves and others
it keeps us distanced from them and throw in a dose of hate and it becomes us versus
them. I have many friends in the LBGT community – do I love them because they’re
part of that community? To me that would be ridiculous and shallow, I love them
because they’re my friends and I treat them like I do all my other friends. Same
goes for any other labeled group. It doesn’t mean I don’t acknowledge that people
are different and face different challenges based on certain things. It just
means that I know deep down that everyone has a story and a struggle and is
worthy of compassion and understanding and space to work out their own crazy
life in their own crazy way. I have enough problems of my own, why would I
assume I can “fix” everyone else’s?!
I know I don’t have all the answers to what to do. I do know
that Christ taught us to pray and that we should love our enemies. Sometimes
that’s hard, Christ knew about that too though and He never put any conditional
clarifiers on it which to me makes me think He probably meant it just the way He said it. So I’ll keep praying for those who have lost loved ones that somehow
they’ll be able to find some measure of peace. I’ll also keep praying for
those whose hearts are becoming lost to their hate. I’ll pray for those of the rising generation
that are growing up in fear of an unknown future. I’ll pray for love to come to
all of us and fill us up where hate and fear have emptied and hardened us. Then
I’ll keep trying to follow Christ’s example in taking those prayers and putting
them into action. I’ll try harder to love deeper, I’ll try to look for the best
in others so that they can see it in themselves, and I’ll trust in Him to help
me know who might need an extra hug or helping hand. Though so far I'm incredibly imperfect at it and it hasn’t
changed much, it has started to change me. Maybe with some time I won’t be so
quick to judge. Maybe I won’t be so quick to take offense. Maybe I won’t be so
caught up in my own story that I miss pages of beauty that could have been
added by those around me. Maybe I’ll appreciate more the unique gift that each
and every one of us are to the world and the greater story of history. Call me crazy but it doesn’t
sound like much room left for any hate if I can manage all of that. Maybe I can’t
change the world but I can change me. It may sound altruistic or downright
corny but maybe when all is said and done that’s really all that matters – how much
we’ve filled our hearts with love and how much we’ve shown that love to those
around us.
