Posts Tagged: guns

Angry Grief Is Not Pretty

May 28th, 2014
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Angry grief is not pretty; especially the white hot, messy anger that Richard Martinez is feeling.

Uncomfortable as it is to watch, everything Martinez is feeling is normal and human.  He is expressing the rage and the sorrow he feels right now at the tragic loss 0f his son.  We aren’t used to watching someone freely express their unfiltered, raw anger about the loss of a loved one.  Our culture sends us the message that it’s better to keep a lid on it.  Don’t emote all over the place.

Yet Martinez has experienced a shock, a deep loss that is … Read More

This I Believe — Book Excerpt

April 10th, 2014
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“This I Believe” is a fantastic book that keeps on giving inspiration to me. I recently discovered this book quite by accident.  I was in Richmond, Virginia with my son and his girlfriend and we came upon a local non-profit that was giving away books for free.  I couldn’t believe it.  Free. Books. Free books are irresistible to me.  This would be similar to offering the editor of Vogue free clothes and accessories.  A room of tables full of all kinds of books just waiting for someone to come along and adopt them and take them home.  Where do I… Read More

Washington DC Navy Yard Shootings

September 17th, 2013
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There was something about the first email news alert that came into my work computer yesterday morning at 9:01 a.m. “Reports of an active shooter at Navy Yard area.  Avoid that area.” I don’t know if it was the time of day, the location of the shooter or the fact that it was a Monday that made me stare at the email and think, “This is bad.”  Unsure of what parts of the city my colleagues planned to go for meetings or appointments, I immediately forwarded the Navy Yard email to everyone in my office. The “active shooter” the email… Read More

Gabby & Mark

April 19th, 2013
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I have written about Gabby Giffords in previous posts because she is a source of inspiration to me. She is the very definition of courage and resilience and lives her life with a great deal of passion.  Despite being shot in the head over two years ago, she continues to move forward and remain in public life because she wants to make the world a safer place. Gun control is Gabby’s top priority and today’s post focuses on just part of the dialogue surrounding this issue. Gabby Giffords & Mark Kelly With her husband, retired astronaut Mark Kelly, Gabby has… Read More

Do Not Look Away

December 23rd, 2012
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Courtesy of CNN.com     Hold a hand. give a hug.  Open your heart. We cannot not be afraid to offer comfort and empathy.  I know it’s difficult to step outside of yourself and reach out to others in pain. To find a way to comfort and empathize with someone in pain requires a certain amount of introspection; an ability to put the brakes on your own needs and try to put yourself in the other person’s place.  Compassion requires you to stop thinking about yourself and imagine what another person is feeling while dealing with a life crisis or… Read More