Robin Williams and Mike Brown died
two days apart. Robin Williams was 63 and
took his own life on August 11th. Michael Brown was 18 and was shot to death by
police officers in Ferguson, Missouri, on August 9th. Both deaths
break my heart. I imagine the pain and suffering that Williams must have lived
with. I know that many of us live and struggle with such pain and suffering,
and despite apparent successes, or the happy faces we wear, inside we ache or
are numb.
And when I see pictures of a once living,
smiling Michael Brown, I can’t help but think of a once living, smiling Trayvon
Martin. While all of the details are not yet clear, what is clear is that once
again, a young, unarmed black man has been shot. I grieve for everyone
involved, including the police office who pulled the trigger. I can only begin
to imagine the grief and anger that Brown’s family and the Ferguson community feel. Despite strides made around racial
equality in this country, the fact remains that much of this country was build
upon the bodies of black men, women, and children, as well as the resources and
land of Native Peoples. We are still living with the aftermath of centuries of
slavery and violence against people of color. We are still living with a racial narrative
that says black men are dangerous and violent, their lives worth less than
white lives.
Depression and despair are real.
Racism, and the daily verbal, emotional, and physical violence against people
of color, is real, as well. Our broken hearts, anger, and suffering are real. So when we are suffering, let us remember that we need not suffer or
struggle alone. If you are carrying a great sadness about Williams, Brown, or anything
else, please reach out to me, or Rev. Jen, Rev. Elaine, or Rev. Ruth.
At First Universalist, we have promised
(covenanted) to dwell together in peace, to seek the truth in love, and to help
one another. We can’t bring back
Williams or Brown, but we can reach out to one another; we can strengthen our
commitment to work for a racially just world; we can break the silence around
depression and mental illness. Even with broken hearts, we can reach out to one
another in love.
*The title of this post is inspired by this video:
2 comments:
Struggling through depression and despair-- holding onto the LIGHT
Dear Anonymous, you were in my morning prayers and reflections. May moments of grace and beauty surrounding. May you remember you are not alone.
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