Today I am equally anguished by the senseless killings in Aurora, Colorado as I am overjoyed with memories of deliberate kindnesses offered by so many people on my recent bike journey. For hours and miles and only 30 days ago, I met countless good, good citizens. Men and woman who knew me not, yet opened their hearts and homes to a stranger. So many people, so often who gave so much day after day after day.
Yet when I reflect on the tragedy emerging from Aurora, it is the destructive behavior of one man that demands my attention. I think I 'get' the good in people. I see it and feel it regularly. I can name and point to it and recognize those bejeweled by it. I can cite chapter and verse and put goodness on it's rightful pedestal. I even can sing it's tune and paint it's colors. But it doesn't seem to be what we need right now - or at least not yet.
Humanity's evil nature with it's dark, raging eyes bent on destruction is what demands my attention the most today. And rightfully so. Until we understand why and how a good mind snaps or we learn about patterns of behavior that point to a crisis emerging and it's prevention or remedy - until we fully own the reality that any of us are a heart beat away from a mental illness or that we know without a doubt that James Holmes could easily be our son or brother, we literally or figuratively will continue to shoot at the weeds growing among us. Life deserves solutions not more shooting.
But the beauty of life is that it won't let us reside among the harmful for ever. Life calls to us and calls us back - time and time again. Survivors from theater 9 are calling. Anguished families are calling. Our children are crying and bullies are ready to shoot.
We are circling the issue of mental health. How many of us are grief-stricken looking at this hair-dyed-a ridiculous red color doctoral student, knowing he is someones child and brother and a California community's own? How many of us want his life to end - fast or better yet, ignore him and focus on those we lost?
Mental illness is front and center again. And it is demanding our collective focus.
Monday, July 23, 2012
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