On Witnessing

A particular difficulty while working with someone dying is witnessing their suffering - where heartache, mental anguish and existential dread can almost be too much to bear. It takes a willingness, and practice, to sit with someone at the end of their life as they process all the emotions that having death on their doorstep brings. However, for many loved ones faced with this, they instead shut down, numb out, or even become combative or cynical.

We see the suffering of the world in this moment similarly; with an election that gave new meaning to the word tumultuous, human rights atrocities across the globe, and climate change wreaking havoc. It seems death is on our collective doorstep more and more each day. And many people rely on coping strategies that result in isolation and disconnection.

However, if we believe in being of service to the world at large, it requires our willingness not to turn away, but instead to witness to the world’s suffering - which not only takes practice, but bravery. In doing so, we take the first step in moving forward towards something hopeful for all, including the younger generations (whose burden of such massive problems is seemingly taking it’s toll as numbers of depression and suicide have increased significantly).

So how do we practice this? How do we muster the courage?

For Lacy, this is a time to hold fast to several personal truths:

‘In the face of crisis, there are always people demonstrating the goodness of the human spirit.
I believe we can not confront the things in front of us without first going inward, whether it’s prayerful meditation, cultivating a place of peace within ourselves, or acknowledging the emotions that we are holding. Action taken from a place of love and justice is transformative, action taken from a place of fear is destructive. We must be able to envision a more just world before we can move toward making that a reality.

For all of the pain in the world, God’s love is bigger and deeper. ‘

For Taylor, she finds inspiration in community and staying curious:

‘Finding and connecting with communities that can acknowledge and share in what I’m experiencing helps me feel less alone and, often, emboldened. Sometimes I find this community within my own family and friends, and sometimes I find it in groups here in Fort Worth, as well as online. I also use curiosity to get me out of feeling immobilized. Is there something I can learn more about? How can I get involved? What resources do I have to share that could be helpful? This gets me out of my head and into action.’

As we move into the holiday season amidst this turmoil, may we all keep in mind the importance of staying open to seeing things that challenge and frighten us, allowing that to lead us to finding more and better ways to show up for ourselves, each other and the world.