Leading With Love & Compassion

Sometimes when we are afraid of saying the wrong thing, we end up saying nothing at all.

It’s not because there is a lack of care or concern.  Rather, it’s because we’re scared.  We don’t want to insult, we don’t want to appear ignorant.  However, for many who are struggling, the silence can be deafening.  Specifically, for those who feel alone, ignored, terrified, and gaslight. 

The online world is raging – as maybe it should.
The posts are intense.
The visuals are unbearable.
The opinions are overwhelming.

However, it’s important to recognize that the posts don’t always capture the complexities of the person.  The online world doesn’t always reflect the person’s humanity.  The posts rarely capture the person’s depth of knowledge, the full range of their emotions, the details of their lived experience that has contributed to their current perspectives.  Moreover, the online posts don’t always lend themselves to nuance, the way real life conversations do.   

 So, for those who haven’t – I would gently encourage that you reach out to the people who you know, more days than not, are feeling like a total shell of themselves.  Your Israeli friends, your Palestinian friends.  Because so many of us, if not all of us, are hungry for some semblance of humanity, kindness and care.  But let’s be real, the sense of humanity is not going to suddenly fall from that sky.  It must come from us.  We ourselves need to commit ourselves to being that semblance of humanity, especially for those who need it most.