The world is aching, and that seems clearer now more than ever. COVID is still taking lives worldwide, and horrific events of police brutality and racism fill every news channel and social media platform. You may have heard the jokes regarding how 2020 is simply an awful year, and we can skip right to a new and hopeful 2021 already. A personal favorite of mine, Maya Angelou, once stated “I can be changed by what happens to me. But I refuse to be reduced by it.” In a similar way, I hope that we can all take the pains and utter tragedies of 2020 as of yet (whether we are directly or indirectly impacted by them), and let it mold us into more empathetic, loving, Christ-like humans. However, I do not think we should nor need to skip straight to a new year because “this year is the worst.” Let us not allow ourselves to dip down to the level of “being reduced” by the suffering in the world. Rather, let us allow it to propel us forward to make changes, and for such changes, start with you. How can each one of us individually respond (not react) to the occurrences in our world? How can we create change? How can we show God’s love in the midst of all of this; being a light in the darkness?
“Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate, only love can do that.”~MLK Jr.
We will be posting some ways you can both show care to yourself and the world in the Counsellor’s Corner. Thoughts & prayers, our hearts extend to each one of you.
Megan Beyer & the rest of the JKCS Counselling Team.