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Image created using Bit Strips.[/caption]
Let's face it, the world has been awful for a lot of people lately. Are mass shootings happening more frequently? In 2014, the data said no. In 2015, the data said yes. Did it really change that much in one or two years? I don't have answers, only questions.
The thing is, we can cause ourselves pain in constantly ruminating on an issue we feel powerless to do anything about. Normally, my advice is to break something down into smaller chunks to find the pieces that can be fixed by me. The thing is, many of these issues feel too big to me. What can I do about the mass shootings in the U.S.? I'm not even a citizen of the U.S.
It's quite like the wars overseas. I feel powerless to help them too. Indeed, a friend went over there and came to the conclusion that outside help is making the problem worse; they need empowerment to clean their own houses. Someone from outside is impartial and objective but will ignore key details that those involved require and thus fuck everything up worse.
I'm not saying it's time to move on. I always wonder whether my signature counts when I sign a petition for another country. That's something I can do but is it helpful? Does it matter whose names are on the petition?
I always wonder whether my signature counts when I sign a petition for another country. That's something I can do but is it helpful? Does it matter whose names are on the petition?
I can be an ally to my friends who are emotionally affected by such tragedies. And if any want to talk, I think they know I'm available.
But what can I do to help fix the problem? Generally, one must determine the root cause to solve a problem. The thing is, we don't know what the root cause is. So many weigh in each time tragedy strikes. On the list is upbringing, nationality, religion, insanity, stress, sexual orientation, peer pressure, bullying, PMS, jealousy, hatred, and it goes on.
But I do think something needs to be done. Maybe a "go fund me" should be set up to find the root cause of these horrible things. I have no idea how it would work. I'm completely out of my depth on this. Maybe looking at other countries that don't have this problem will help? I know our education system here has a focus on healthy expressions of anger. I've always been taught to get my anger and frustration out in healthy ways like art (writing, painting, building), fitness (martial arts). and therapy. Maybe we have a larger focus on gun safety and certification that ensures users aren't mentally unstable? What about the European countries? Again, I really have no clue.
Because I'm accepting that I don't know any better than anyone else, I'm choosing to focus on things I can do something about. Right now, all I can really handle is cleaning my own home, writing stories, and living my life.
I really like this quote and hope it helps others through these sad times:
"Happiness can be found, even in the darkest of times, if one only remembers to turn on the light." — Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
A lot of things that happened this week.
Personal
Ottawa
World
Well, I'm off to shower, eat lunch, and finish packing. Then it's a car ride East and slightly North to see the folks.
Ciao,
R~
Image created using Bit Strips.[/caption]Let's face it, the world has been awful for a lot of people lately. Are mass shootings happening more frequently? In 2014, the data said no. In 2015, the data said yes. Did it really change that much in one or two years? I don't have answers, only questions.
The thing is, we can cause ourselves pain in constantly ruminating on an issue we feel powerless to do anything about. Normally, my advice is to break something down into smaller chunks to find the pieces that can be fixed by me. The thing is, many of these issues feel too big to me. What can I do about the mass shootings in the U.S.? I'm not even a citizen of the U.S.
It's quite like the wars overseas. I feel powerless to help them too. Indeed, a friend went over there and came to the conclusion that outside help is making the problem worse; they need empowerment to clean their own houses. Someone from outside is impartial and objective but will ignore key details that those involved require and thus fuck everything up worse.
I'm not saying it's time to move on. I always wonder whether my signature counts when I sign a petition for another country. That's something I can do but is it helpful? Does it matter whose names are on the petition?
I always wonder whether my signature counts when I sign a petition for another country. That's something I can do but is it helpful? Does it matter whose names are on the petition?
I can be an ally to my friends who are emotionally affected by such tragedies. And if any want to talk, I think they know I'm available.
But what can I do to help fix the problem? Generally, one must determine the root cause to solve a problem. The thing is, we don't know what the root cause is. So many weigh in each time tragedy strikes. On the list is upbringing, nationality, religion, insanity, stress, sexual orientation, peer pressure, bullying, PMS, jealousy, hatred, and it goes on.
But I do think something needs to be done. Maybe a "go fund me" should be set up to find the root cause of these horrible things. I have no idea how it would work. I'm completely out of my depth on this. Maybe looking at other countries that don't have this problem will help? I know our education system here has a focus on healthy expressions of anger. I've always been taught to get my anger and frustration out in healthy ways like art (writing, painting, building), fitness (martial arts). and therapy. Maybe we have a larger focus on gun safety and certification that ensures users aren't mentally unstable? What about the European countries? Again, I really have no clue.
Because I'm accepting that I don't know any better than anyone else, I'm choosing to focus on things I can do something about. Right now, all I can really handle is cleaning my own home, writing stories, and living my life.
I really like this quote and hope it helps others through these sad times:
"Happiness can be found, even in the darkest of times, if one only remembers to turn on the light." — Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
A lot of things that happened this week.
Personal
- Sad: My old next door neighbour passed away. I've known the man since I was six years old. It's still not really real to me. He was the same age as my father. It's father's day weekend and his kids have no father to celebrate it with.
- Hurt: I managed to reinjure my neck and shoulder by sitting at a booth in a restaurant.
- Torn: I'm excited to see my dad this weekend for Father's Day. I feel a little guilty about that because there are so many without fathers for whatever reason.
- Happy: I opened a new section of FREE Flash Fiction on my site. I hope people enjoy the little stories I put up. Feel free to comment on them. Many of them are experimentations, so please let me know what you liked and didn't like about them.
Ottawa
- Hope: A life was saved. Good things can still happen in this world.
- Worried: Lyme disease is on the rise in the Ottawa area. As I quite enjoy geocaching, I'm worried about this. Also, the treatments for Lyme disease are inadequate.
World
- Hopeless: Orlando. I don't have adequate words for this. It doesn't make sense. These things never do. I want them to stop happening. Stop the hatred of others. Live and let live.
Well, I'm off to shower, eat lunch, and finish packing. Then it's a car ride East and slightly North to see the folks.
Ciao,
R~