From a happy Friday to a heavy Monday…here we are in the wake of not just one mass shooting but TWO in the the course of just 13 hours. What a heartbreaking weekend and what hard news to digest.
I spent my weekend in the bubble that is yoga teacher training. It’s hard to put into words what these trainings feel like. It’s like you’re in a cocoon of love, support, vulnerability and acceptance. It feels very counter to the competition, judgement, fear and seperateness that we often face in our everyday lives.
It’s encouraging to watch people from very different backgrounds come together so seamlessly thanks to a common interest. The bonds they create and they way that they are able to see each other, support each other and hold space for each other is nothing short of a miracle. It brings me a lot of hope.
The news I faced coming out of the weekend was difficult to read and watch. I sat on the couch this morning drinking my coffee and watching a GMA special report with tears streaming down my face.
According to CBS News, there have been more mass shootings than there have been days of the year in 2019.
“As of Sunday, which was the 216th day of the year, there have been 251 mass shootings in the U.S., according to data from the nonprofit Gun Violence Archive, which tracks every mass shooting in the country. The Gun Violence Archive defines a mass shooting as any incident in which at least four people were shot, excluding the shooter.”
I feel guilty for not addressing these violent events on my blog or social platforms as they happen but there are just SO MANY now that if feels impossible to do in a meaningful way. Even still, I was alarmed to scroll through my Instagram feed this morning and find hardly a mention of the weekend’s two mass shootings. How has this become our new normal?
I looked at Finn this morning and just prayed for him and all of our nation’s children that this will not be the world they grow up in. One where they practice active shooter drills and don’t feel safe in public or even at school. I also pray for the strength and wisdom to raise a son who is loving, tolerant and kind to all beings.
Along with these prayers, I’m taking action. Today I’ll be making donations to organizations who are working for gun safety and control as well as contacting my local elected officials. I hope you will do something too.
Thank you for being here for everything that I write and share from the day-in-the-life recaps to the workouts to the recipes to the deep dives. I truly believe wellness expands far beyond what we are eating and how we are working out so from time to time I feel that it’s important to use my platform and my voice in other ways.
Sending a lot of love out to all beings everywhere today,
Jen
Thank you for both acknowledging these horrible tragedies and vowing to take action. I read blogs for inspiration, comfort and joy. I love the honestly that you constantly put forth in your writing. Thank you for being you! Emailing my senators and donating to Everytown as soon as I submit my comment.
Thank you Jen. You’re right, this cannot become our new normal 🙁
I don’t think I can thank you enough for this post! I too am horrified that not only so many people have lost their lives to these hateful acts of violence, but that we’ve come to the point where, like you say, we’re acting like it’s our new normal. However, I can understand to a point… I have felt so helpless and hopeless (ie What can *I* do about this?), but your call to action gives me hope!
Thank you Jen for addressing the overwhelming gun violence so prevalent across our Nation. Our leaders and all of us need to speak out against it, and make change happen.
Thank you so much for this post. I plan to make a donation this morning too. This isn’t the world I want for my children and something has to change.
Kudos to you for talking about this. I am heartbroken and horrified that these shootings have become so commonplace. This is not the future I want for my son. Thank you for taking action and for encouraging others to do the same.
Thanks Jen, for posting this and for taking action.
Thank you for the heartfelt post. It was much needed! I’m glad your teacher training went well.
Thank you so much Jen for voicing such powerful truths on such an important topic. As a pediatrician, and long time follower of your blog, I really appreciate you focusing on this issue. As always, I appreciate your eloquent and thoughtful insights, and I know that Finn is one terrifically lucky little man to have you as his mama.
I also want to thank you for this post.Such an important issue to address and we can’t afford to have apathy.
Im really terrified to send my 4 year old to school in a year. I contacted my local Moms Demand Action chapter and plan to attend their march on Wednesday.
Thank you for being brave enough to address this issue, Jen. I’ve seen others on social media call for stricter gun control and immediately get such vitriol and backlash from some of their followers/subscribers. It blows my mind and disheartens me. How anyone believes we should maintain this status quo is beyond me. I have a daughter who is (almost) 5 months old and I echo your sentiments. Honestly, I’ve been feeling quite hopeless about change occurring. Thank you for giving back a little hope and acknowledging that we have to keep fighting. Our kids deserve better and so do we.
Thank you for posting about this. I am a public school teacher and live in fear daily that today will be the day I have to tell my students to run for their lives or hide from an active shooter. It’s terrifying that this has just become part of our nation’s fabric and no action is being taken to remedy the situation.
? ? I’m crying to hard to comment…heart breaking!
Thank you for bringing this terrible issue to peoples attention. I am unfortunitely in Dayton OH so waking up to that news was beyond heart breaking. A beautiful, historical place I visit so often is now such a sad, sad place. And my heart goes out to everyone in El Paso as well. I look at my son who just turned 2 and am so scared for what his future holds. You can’t go anywhere now without worrying someone has alternative motives. This is a scary world we live in
sending you and the dayton community love from Akron OH. I am with everyone here. Until we are willing to put our VOTE where our mouth is so to speak, i do not think things will change. Glad to see all the love here and support to do something vs just sending thoughts and prayers.
I agree with your sentiments Tara.
Thank you for this post. I really liked this point – “I truly believe wellness expands far beyond what we are eating and how we are working out…”
Thank you so much for this post. I also am raising a son and feel the weight of the responsibility so acutely every day that this violence continues and the world proves itself time and again to be an unsafe place for women to exist. I have to have hope that things will get better!
So important to hear this message on as many platforms from as many different voices as possible. Thank you for adding yours!!
You are welcome.