anger

Tumult in the USA

Things are changing fast here in the United States. Perhaps the woman in this video can/should/will become a voice to lead the way. She speaks for so many who do not have a voice. Please watch this powerful video of Desiree Barnes as she admonishes the looters outside of her apartment in NYC.

Yes, people are angry. Yes, people have a right to be angry. Yes, this is the bumpy ride into the 21st century, as we dust off the oppression and disequilibrium of the past centuries. Let’s start a new conversation so the looters, and people who are destroying public and private property are held accountable. What we are seeing today following days of civil unrest in the US is our soldiers, deployed by our president to protect these public and private places. This is not freedom.  This is something swampy and ugly. Let’s follow Desiree Barnes’ powerful expression of anger to make change in a meaningful way.  “When the freedom they wished for was freedom from responsibility, then Athens ceased to be free and was never free again.” -Edith Hamilton

 

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Forgiveness

Today we will investigate the gigantic topic of forgiveness. Holding any grudges these days? Often these feelings of anger and resentment tend to control us rather than us controlling them. Sound familiar? Anger, shame, and sadness are usually the common emotions connected to the grudges we hold toward others. Can you think of any that you might be able to tackle today? Please find some paper. Draw or write the thing or person causing your to feel has wronged you in some way. Once you have that image or word on paper, continue to write down more words and feelings associated with this. Once you have completed this exercise, please tear this paper up into many small pieces, imagining how forgiveness (even if they were at fault and you were the one hurt) might feel if you let go of the negative feelings. Don’t throw the paper scraps away just yet, because we might use the torn pieces for another art exercise later in the week. If this is topic is one that needs investigating, this art project is likely to stir up a lot of emotions. Before you begin, think of a positive form of self soothing that you can use when completing this project.

Yesterday’s project: Did you find it easy or difficult to say goodbye to something negative in your life? Acknowledgment is the first step to letting go of something that might be harming you. Did you find the letter writing technique helpful?