I am about to do something I told myself I would never do — I’m about to write a political post. I’ve avoided it because I don’t want to alienate any current or potential clients. However, it is important to recognize that as a Chicana mental health professional and small business owner, I have a voice. I know that doesn’t feel like the case for many people and I want to be able to speak up as a member of all of those communities that I embrace.
My grief about this situation must have swung into the anger phase because I am fucking furious.
***
Being able to just write that last sentence was helpful. To acknowledge the anger offered a release. I had to return to writing this week’s blog a couple days later and found myself feeling better. Well, “better” isn’t really the right word. I guess you could say that I’m not fuming like I was when I started writing this.
What I feel now is disappointment and heartbreak. I’m disappointed in how this situation has been mishandled – from lack of tests, lax “stay at home” orders, large chains receiving the PPP loan that was meant for small businesses, the hoops they still make you jump through when filing for unemployment, the disregard for our essential front line workers, etc, etc, etc.
I am also disappointed and sad to see how people are turning against each other. There is so much anger going around right now. People are angry because they have been without an income for weeks now. People are angry because they want to engage in everyday life again and be able to go to their favorite restaurants, get haircuts, go to the movies, etc. People are angrily protesting for us to “go back to normal.” And there are people that are angry at those protesting because of the risk this poses on our health and healthcare system. So much anger all around.
I think it is so much misdirected anger.
While we are busy being angry and pointing fingers at one another, the people causing us the most harm continue to do so without consequence. Our anger is most certainly valid. However, the finger-pointing that we are doing to each other is ineffective. We need to turn our gaze upwards and notice the puppet masters in all of this. Some of these “leaders” that we are supposed to rely on are failing us. Our hope is that our government and its officials are there to care for our physical, mental, emotional, and financial well-being. Lately, it seems like some of them just DGAF about us — the general population.
So, what do we do? What do we do with all this anger and sadness and heartbreak? SOMETHING. We do something. We stop fighting each other and use this energy to propel us forward. We take this experience as a call to action – whatever that may look like for you. You can make your voice heard with your local elected officials. You can engage in therapy to process everything that you are feeling right now. You can connect more with family and friends. You can start a meditation practice. The options are endless.
This post isn’t meant to change your political affiliations or beliefs. It is meant to encourage you to view those around you with compassion, even if you feel frustrated with their actions and beliefs — maybe especially so in those moments. We feel angry because we feel hurt. I think it is apparent that we are all struggling in this situation. What those struggles look like will vary from person to person, but we are all suffering in one way or another. We are basically crying out for help and left feeling unheard and dismissed. If there is one actionable thing that I can ask you to do, it is to send out loving thoughts and energy to your community. We can certainly all use more of that.
