What the Blog

This past Sunday I woke up as I normally do. My husband helped me sit up as it is still difficult for me to do on my own two weeks after having my chest cracked opened to remove my thymus. He graciously handed me my daily morning meds along with a steaming cup of coffee, while I fumbled for my iPhone. This little device is my lifeline to the outside world. I read the "newspaper" on there, I check my various social media accounts, I check and respond to email, and I communicate with my loved ones on a regular basis with this small piece of technology. I woke up to pain, in my own body, but in the world as well.

A glaring, horrifying pain, one that is common in our country. There was a singular moment in time, where a sick mind broke, and in that singular moment he murdered innocent people. There are so many ways to respond to this hate that is played over and over on the television and our social media feeds. For me it can physically weaken me from the additional stress of empathy and sympathy. MG is one of the many autoimmune diseases that stress directly affects. So how does one respond? Do I turn off my television, do I go off the grid of social media, or do I share and pray and raise awareness of the heinousness of this hate crime? If you follow me on my blog, there is a good chance you follow my Facebook and you know that I chose option three. I do NOT believe in hate, I do NOT believe in tolerance, I ONLY believe in acceptance.

I worry for my very close and very loved LGBTQ+ friends, I worry for their safety walking down the streets, and I worry for their safety inside of a place where they should be free from persecution, their beloved clubs. For the first time, I begged my friends not to go to pride this weekend, because I cannot imagine a world without them in my life. I am being selfish, but I love them and don't want anything to happen to them. They are going anyway, but will be checking in with me so I know all is good.

I worry for my very close and very loved friends who also are Muslim. I worry for their safety walking down the streets and I worry for their safety inside of a place where they should be free from persecution, their beloved Mosques. No one in America should feel threatened or fear to practice their religion. We are a nation based on freedom of religion, why is there a fraction of Americans willing to take away this right? What has happened to us? Where has our acceptance gone?

I grew up in the Catholic church, we went every Sunday that I can remember as a child. I also participated in CCD and Peer Group. What I don't remember is being taught hate and intolerance, because I wasn't. I was taught Jesus loves ALL, Jesus wants peace on earth, Jesus is compassionate and we were to help those in need. My heart weeps at the loss of life from this singular moment in time. My heart weeps from all the hate and fear that enthrall the people of our country. My heart weeps because the LGBTQ+ and Muslim communities are being shunned for being themselves.

My heart weeps for every damn singular moment in time that innocents are killed just because.