#Ferguson
It doesn’t help that my social media feeds are peppered with emotional news sources. Insightful? Hardly. Incite-ful? Absolutely. Many editorialists are disguised as journalists, relying on second hand information, and disseminating perceptions over realities. Where are we supposed to go for objective updates? Certainly not the Injustice Trolls, the gnats that smugly regurgitate nasty articles in the hopes of swaying my opinions. (Really? You think you're progressive because you added a snide remark to the hate-filled link you shared?) Not the maniacal limelight chasers like egocentric politicians and correspondents crafting sensationalized stories for career advancement. So there’s my anger thing…
As a health education professional, I’m trained in assessment. That means I seek to identify the factors that impact health and well being. Biological, behavioral, environmental. Concentric rings of influencers: individuals, families, organizations, communities, cultures, governments. A successful health ed program is one that supports a sustainable change in behaviors or conditions. Healing, well being, life.
I’m unable to do that for Ferguson at this time. It is bigger than me, and when I self-assess, I’m a few points shy of cultural competence. I want the bad guys to go home, and the community to come together for those really tough conversations. I want to be the one crafting the story, editorializing on the human spirit. Pretty pictures of coexistence.
My reality is that I have a safe place to finish some overdue projects and I can bury my head and heart in them for a while. In the meantime, I will take steps to remain emotionally balanced which is a vital piece of whole health. For me, that means I’ll reduce my news intake, read intelligent discourse, block a few hate mongers, acknowledge my mixed emotions, pray for peace, explore ways to help, and continue to believe in the spirit of Ferguson, St. Louis, and the vast, diverse globe we’ve been invited to nurture.