When we had to take down the tree on our front lawn a couple years ago it was quite the project to clear out the root and its network.  Even today, nature continues to work its magic as we frequently see mushroom collections gathering at the surface as they work to heal the wound left from the dying tree. Fortunately this has not hampered the plants and flowers we have placed in that healing space. The words resilience and re-creation come to mind.

Late winter, early this spring my neighbors down the street cut back several trees that surrounded their front yard. I remember walking by wondering why would anyone cut trees to the point of basic baldness (clearly I am not an arborist). Just recently I noticed that the trees are growing back, there are branches and leaves starting to form in directions different from the original configuration; but they are coming back. It made me think about the flexibility and durability of life. 

In the wake of the recent U.S. Supreme Court decision to overturn Roe v. Wade (which basically means that in the U.S. there is no longer a federal constitutional right to abortion), looking at how nature responds to trauma has given me pause for thought and pushed me to try and better understand how we came to this point and where do we go from here.

There are lots of different commentaries and opinions about what this all means and many folks are using aggressive language to express their outrage and frustration which I completely understand and empathize with. But, I think if we can do a 'root' cause analysis on how we got here, we may be able to see it was inevitable. We must learn from our past history in order to reshape the future of ourstory. 

This Supreme Court decision reveals a deeper wound in our society that is begging to be addressed, in desperate need of triage. The fact that we needed Roe v. Wade in the first place to exercise our individual reproductive freedom speaks to a larger societal issue.

I certainly am not professing to be a scholar of the law, or even history but I am a scholar of life, or at the very least, a scholar of my own life and life experiences. What I know for sure is that what we resist, persists. What that means, according to Carl Jung, is that when we put all our energy and emotion into the resistance of a 'thing' we create more of what feeds the 'thing'. 

Being outraged about this recent situation in the United States will not change what has happened and has been happening in our country since its inception.

Fighting and making war against the status quo (whether it be poverty, racism, cancer or more) doesn't get us to where we want to be, or better put, where we need to be if we are truly to be a compassionate, civilized society. When we fight to win, we push against the resistance of another and that does not create sustainable freedom for all.

Might doesn't make right; might makes oppression.

We must activate not in anger but in understanding. Understanding what it takes to create the transformation, the healing that is so desperately needed in our country and even the world, not for the few, but FOR ALL THE PEOPLE!

In preparing for this post I was making myself crazy reviewing the US constitution, the bill of rights and other 'founding fathers' documentation only to get even more frustrated that the truly silent majority of marginalized peoples in this country have never been truly represented by the laws of the land. My 'research' brought me to Ruth Bader Ginsburg.

In the words of RGB "I DISSENT".

It's time to create the America our forefathers truly intended, not an America shaped by greed, ignorance and fear but by compassion, equanimity, equity and inclusivity. Just like the tree whose branches were cut down, We The People have been cut down far too long, but we will grow back, wiser, more resilient and compassionate than ever.

We must heal the wounds of our nation, but before we can heal we have to acknowledge the wounds that have been endured by so many for so long.

We have to care, really truly care about each other. This is what will make America great again.

How do we move forward?

It's nonviolent protests; it's taking a stand; it's speaking out, respectfully; it's voting; it's educating each other and our youth on the true history of this country, encouraging and empowering them to create a better future FOR US ALL. (Check out more Acts of Activism)

So, take the moment you need to process what has happened and has been happening in this beautiful, amazing and unique country and then get fired up by the incredibly important, exciting and urgent opportunities that lay at our feet to improve ALL FACETS of American life. At the end of the day, this is a country OF AND FOR THE PEOPLE.

This ruling does not mark an end but a new beginning. This move on the part of the Supreme Court has woken the sleeping giant. We will take matters into our own hands as women and men committed to aligning with the vision and dream that is America - a land of the free and home of the brave!

And so, let's begin...

Thanks for taking the time to read me today.

Take care and care well,

Mary 

P.S.: Becoming a Trauma Informed Professional is a first step that enables and empowers you to stand up and step out of line; to speak out on the status quo and craft a new vision and mission for your life. On this journey of continuous growth and self-discovery you are able to reconnect with your truth and become the highest expression of who you have been called to be in this life.

"This program was the inspiration my soul was craving. I can honestly say that after 25 years of nursing I left this program with the same enthusiasm for nursing as I did when I graduated nursing school. It was exactly what I needed to reignite my passion. This certification was an amazing journey and I was sad when it ended. There is a comfort in knowing that you are growing personally and professionally with others who share the same vision. What does being a Trauma Informed Professional mean to me? It means that I was given the knowledge, guidance, and support, to unlock the mindful practitioner in me who values the lives that we are so blessed to care for and care with." - Kim Butny MSN, RNC-NIC, C-ELBW, NTMNC. 

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