Handling (other’s) Tragedies
Sometimes, I find it difficult to balance my own world with suffering around the world. It takes tremendous effort to manage stress and nurture relationships in life. We all know this. With limited time, energy, and influence, how should I respond to news reports with stories of people suffering?
Last week in Texas, I was reminded of this as I learned of the tragic floods along the Guadalupe River. As one who did not personally experience the floods or the unimaginable loss of life or property, I watched with disbelief. I found myself imagining what it must have been like to live through that horrible night on the river, and my heart broke for parents, grandparents, siblings, children, neighbors, and friends who lost loved ones. Yet, while close to home, my home was not impacted, which leaves me with this guilt of knowing I’ll move on soon while other’s lives have been shattered.
So, what are we to do with tragic events when they don’t directly impact us? If you’re reading this, wondering what to do with feelings of grief for people in central Texas, it shows your compassion for others. It’s part of our human nature to care for the wellbeing of others. If you were impacted differently (or not at all), give yourself grace. Sometimes we need to focus on our own stuff. Sometimes news coming at us can overwhelm and it’s just too much.
Here are a couple of thoughts for handling tragedies that don’t directly impact you:
1) Allow yourself to feel what you feel (and allow others the same).
2) Show empathy for people in everyday life. Acknowledging struggle can help us empathize with others. We can all treat others with grace and respect.
3) Have gratitude for the people in your life (and tell them!).
4) Have gratitude for goodness in your life.
5) It’s up to you to discern when and how you act when tragedies occur. Make positive impact in a way that fits your abilities and resources.
6) PRAY! It’s not always in ways that we see, but the power of prayer is real.
I try to avoid falling into the mindset that the world is bad when I see terrible news. To say that the world is better (or worse) today than it used to be is much too simplistic. Truth is, the world constantly changes, some for the better and some for the worse. Throughout our history, humans have thrived, achieved amazing feats, cured diseases, built cities, shown amazing faith, and have loved and supported each other. At the same time, humans have fought wars, hurt each other, faced disease and poverty, suffered terrible losses, and struggled to survive.
We can all treat others with compassion in good times and in the face of tragedy. We can all make the world around us just a little better.
