There are only a few times in our lives when humankind joins together to fight the same big challenges. And when those challenges pile up, we can begin to get weary.
Please don’t misunderstand me. I’m not saying I’m tired of hearing about the pandemic or social justice or racial equality or the contentious presidential election campaign. And I’m not equating my life experience with that of someone who had to face these issues on an extremely, painfully, personal level.
I’m just pausing to recognize this watershed moment as a time when we could all get too overwhelmed to care anymore … and how we can keep that from happening.
Believe me, I get it. Here at Sheltering Wings, we meet men and women every day who have already borne more pain than anyone should, and our priority is to them.
Yet, we must also engage in the conversations taking place today regarding public safety, racial equality and social justice. Our engagement can bring as many benefits to ourselves as individuals as to society.
By staying engaged (involved, interested, informed), we stay in a position to learn from others. By listening, we gain a better understanding of their experience and have the chance to reflect on our own convictions.
By staying engaged, we enrich our empathy. By getting to know someone, we find it much more challenging to ignore the difficulties they face.
By staying engaged, we prevent domestic violence.
It’s been proven. As we reinvigorate our commitment to learning, pursue positive values and improve social skills such as peaceful conflict resolution, we build assets that lessen the likelihood we and others will behave violently.
Many, many caring people support Sheltering Wings. My prayer is that we all take responsibility for doing what we can to solve today’s problems.
With gratitude,
Cassie Mecklenburg
Executive Director
P.S. It’s Christmas in July. Thanks to the generosity of our sponsors, each dollar given by July 14 will be matched, up to $10,000! Don’t miss this chance to double your donation. Your gift will enable us to continue providing vital life skills programs that help survivors build stable, independent lives!
Join us at 10 a.m. on Friday, July 17, as we celebrate the groundbreaking on this exciting affordable housing project. >> Learn More
Learn how to not only survive the summer but to thrive – all while building your kids’ character and strengths. >> Join Us
Mark your calendars. Domestic Violence Awareness and Prevention Month – October – is just around the corner. >> Learn more
