Right now my daughter and I are in Sachse, Texas. Our home for the last eighteen years and we love it with all our hearts. But it doesn’t erase a major problem that happened that caused us to move, and the problem isn’t a one-off, it’s a pattern. I’m not going into specifics here; my life will address the specifics. But here is what motivates me to not give up.
Facebook post 12-29-2022
I want to go back to these pictures. These two. What a beautiful friendship. These two became close just months before both of their worlds would fall apart in such tragic ways.
But look at them! Choosing love, joy, and life anyway. Rebuilding in the world as it is and they still are finding each other. Praise all that is still good in the universe.
I look at them and I’m inspired. My faith is renewed and I am also resolved to advocate for systemic justice. Both of these tragedies are very different but both could have been prevented had the systems been paying attention to patterns that were happening. And by responding to these patterns by breaking them. (or at least attempting to).
But the thing is, it’s hard to do that when a system is overburdened, understaffed, and fighting for its own life. That makes our lives as individuals less safe. We need people in their jobs understanding the impact doing their job well has on the lives of people. And we need the right people in these jobs.
I also know we need more resources to understand mental health, trauma, and abuse. We also need to work towards ending punishment as a solution. For one, the wrong person will get punished. And second of all, it only compounds the problem when there is a perceived need for one bc it’s not meeting the ache that caused the problem.
This is my path. These are the faces I see as I find my way again. Theologically I can tell you Jesus understands systemic injustice.
There is Life Out There 