What we need is accountability. We need responsibility. We need ownership of everything that is going on! The only place to get that ownership is from ourselves. What can we do to make a difference? We need to look at how we are, who we are, and what we are allowing- in ourselves, our homes and our commuities.
How are we being with other people? How are we being with the rules in place? How are we being as individuals towards other individuals? Are we lending a hand up or are we putting each other down ( bullying, gangs, clicks, judgements)? Are we watching the train wreck happen or are we doing something to stop and/or prevent the train wreck? ARE WE GETTING INVOVLED?
My belief is no...we are not getting involved. We have our heads so far into our phones, our computers, our tablets, the internet (excuse me but, up our asses!),we are not paying attention to or dealing with what is going on in the world around us. Our reality has become the internet not the people actually standing or sitting right next to us.
As Americans we tout ourselves as being kind and supportive when tragedy happens. This is true, we are. The question is are we kind and supportive when there isn't tragedy?
Have you ever thought, that maybe, some of these tragedies-the loss of human life- would not happen IF we spent more time being more supportive (teaching, mentoring, being honest, speaking out in the moment not after the moment, being strong in our values, understanding and demonstrating respect to ourselves and others, getting involved with people, getting involved period, listening, understanding) over the past 20 or 30 years rather worrying about the building of our own egos (getting more into the drama and minusia of life, becoming more isolated, becoming used to instant gratification, pointing fingers)?
Are we allowing what's easy to take place as to what is right? Are we replacing values with instant gratification? Have we forgotten the value of hard work and the things learned through that process (failure, success, satisfaction of a job well done, how to accomplish a task). There are too many examples today of someone making a mistake or screwing up somehow and people saying "its ok, don't worry about it ,we'll do better next time". How about saying "no, it's not alright, there are consequences to these actions and you will be held accountable and yes we will do better next
time !"
The lesson to be learned is there are consequences to our actions...not that everything is going to be ok.
As I am writing this I can think of many times I have been held accountable and the lessoned learned was driven home! For example, if I got in trouble in school-bad grades or I got into a fight- not only was I held accountable at school, I was again held accountable at home( even more so). My parents didn't question the school about what I did they questioned me! My actions, my consequences.
As much as I believe we are the answer to the problems we face, pointing fingers or blaming some other faction, group, or thing does not allow for ownership or improve the possibility to change the situation. There are no easy answers or quick solutions. It took us decades to lose our way, it may take decades to find it again -I hope not.
Until we take an honest look at what we are, who we are and how we are being and own it, all of it,in good times and in bad- finding and creating solutions to these horrific losses of life won't happen at all!
Remember...We ARE THE DIFFERENCE!!!