When horrific tragedies like the shooting in the Oregon District occur…
There are no words that can explain why.
There are no words that can ease the pain of those who lost loved ones.
There are no words that can erase the trauma of those who were present.
We search for words to make sense of the senseless, to no avail.
We search for words that will move us, as a nation, to action in hopes that we can prevent another tragedy from occurring.
I have struggled to write this week’s post as I wrestle with the emotions this tragedy stirs within me. If you have experienced great loss, seeing others experience great loss affects you deeply. It brings to the surface the raw emotions that lurk beneath, in the deep recesses of your soul.
There are so many turbulent emotions in the aftermath of situations like these. Devastating pain, overwhelming sadness, outrage, disgust, anxiety, and fear are just a few of the strong emotions that express themselves during these difficult times. When we are under the influence of these volatile emotions, careless words often flow easily in the heat of the moment and land like bombs on innocent victims we would never want to hurt. Social media seems to be filled with land mines in the days following tragedies like this one. My heart aches for those who have been wounded, in any way, knowing they will likely be ambushed by those land mines.
Let us not forget that our words have the power to rip into the hearts of others. Let us use great caution before we post words that are fueled by emotion publicly, lest we inflict even more pain on those who have been devastated by this tragedy. Let us be so very careful not to say things that will deepen their wounds or add to the ones they already have.
Sometimes, having No Words is a very good thing. Let us have great compassion for those who are hurting. Let us do whatever it takes to help them begin to heal peacefully.
Blessings!
My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak...