Unfortunately, This is Us

Last Tuesday, I was excited to share my thoughts about the series finale of This is Us. I have been a loyal watcher of the show since it started and have written and presented about many episodes. It depicted so many facets of grief over the years that we all can relate to.

But then 19 school children and two teachers were killed. This is us, too. School shootings are part of our current landscape and we were all confronted with that reality (again) last week. I debated watching the finale because I felt so guilty watching fictional television when so many families were facing the unimaginable. How could I even consider watching something for entertainment when so many people can't even fathom ever being able to be entertained again? How selfish of me to take a break from this tragedy just hours after it happened. Shouldn't I be glued to the news, praying for the victims, writing letters to advocate for the safety of school children, or even just holding my own children tight?

Most of us reading this have the privilege of shutting off the TV. We can take a break from the news, focus on something (anything) else. But the fact is, it's not just a privilege. It's an act of resistance. Taking care of ourselves, finding joy and pleasure, and taking a break IS resistance. So often, I have felt paralyzed by the enormity of the cruelty in the world. Often, it takes my breathe away, as well as my ability to do anything about it. But fortunately, that doesn't last.

When the grief and trauma feels so big, I have to remind myself to think small. Here is a list of some ways I channel my grief in small ways when the collective grief feels too big and unmanageable. There are many other ways to express and cope with grief from mass tragedies. Send me your ideas and I may feature them on social media (make sure you are following me on Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn).