Just got home from a celebratory weekend away with family and friends and I am finally reflecting on the tragic realities of Saturday's horrific mass shooting at the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh.
Collective grief is a term used to describe a shared sense of devastation by a community or nation as a result of an event such as a war, natural disaster, terrorist attack, death of a public figure, or any other event leading to mass casualties or national tragedy. This type of grief impacts us all and now more than ever, deserves attention. While this kind of loss can't be compared to a more personal loss, it is very real and visceral to many.
In a culture that continually places an emphasis on action and strength, we need to remember that it not only okay to take a few moments to grieve, but it is essential. Even if we are not directly connected to the victims or the events of Saturday ( or today’s horrific plane crash in Indonesia or the countless other tragedies that have marred our news recently ) it’s OK to feel the tremendous impact on our psyche, our outlook and our faith in our country and world.
To deny ourselves this just because "we weren't directly affected" is dangerous to our wellbeing, mental health, and overall humanity - the things we must protect most vigorously during tragedies like these.