“Do not heal in isolation. Connecting with others is how we develop compassion for others and for ourselves.”– Archbishop Desmond Tutu
I was hesitant at first to send the message below. It can be difficult to speak about something as tragic as the Earthquakes in Turkey. The significant loss of life and the tragedy we see unfolding in front of us on television is hard to ignore. Every loss brings sadness and every survivor found brings joy. I think the above quote by Archbishop Desmond Tutu speaks to how we are all connected and that connection leads to compassion and healing. I hope my words today can lead us to compassion, healing and understanding that no matter how far away we are we are connected through human experience.
I want to take this moment to send my thoughts and prayers to those in both Syria and Turkey who have lost friends, families, and their homes from the devastating Earthquakes that have killed more than 22,000 people. I want to put that in perspective as it would be half the population of Pittsfield, Massachusetts (44,000+). As rescuers from all over the world search for survivors we continue to hope in a time when as the days continue to move forward, hope seems to be fleeting.
My intention is not to end your work week on a down note, but the reality is tragedies happen every day. We cannot hide from the fact or ignore it. It is a part of the human experience, and these events are what connect us as people. It puts things in perspective that time is not guaranteed to any of us and what we do with the time that we have is up to us. There are two guarantees in life the date we are born and the date we leave this world. It is what we do with the dash in between those dates that will tell the story of our lives. Thousands of young lives were lost in those earthquakes and their opportunity to tell their life story was cut short. But we are here, and we can help those who survived get through the lifetime of challenges they will face. We can commit to making a difference for those in our communities who face hardships and tragedies every day. We can be the light in times of darkness.
As a people and a society, we must continue to move forward and live our lives. We have responsibilities to our families and our jobs but living a life that elevates dignity tells us that as a people we are here to help those who have no voice. We are here to help those who are recovering from tragedies. We are here to help create a place where all people are honored and treated with dignity.
“Do your little bit of good where you are; it’s those little bits of good put together that overwhelm the world.” -Archbishop Desmond Tutu
Charles Redd RN
Dignity Freedom Fighter
Dignity Freedom Fighter 