Desert Messenger is your local connection for news, events, and entertainment!
Issue link: http://www.epageflip.net/i/99662
Page 2 www.DesertMessenger.com DEADLINE IS WED. DEC. 26 for JAN. 2nd issue of the Desert Messenger Editorial Email: editor@DesertMessenger.com Phone: 541-218-2560 by Shanana "Rain" Golden-Bear www.DesertMessenger.com Friday morning, I was in the middle of writing an article on Quartzsite Elementary School for today's Desert Messenger when I heard of the horrific tragedy in Newtown, Connecticut. The impact of hearing the loss of those innocent lives just stopped me cold. An overwhelming wave of grief came upon me. Already emotionally raw from hearing the details of two friends' experience at the Clackamas shooting just days earlier, this tragedy brought up every mother's fear. I instantly thought of my family and friends, especially those who have lost their children, wondering how they're dealing with the news. Such events as recent shootings offer us the opportunity to open up our hearts to each other. OR we could choose to react in anger, turning our hearts cold as ice. We make our choices. We can choose to heal our wounds through recognizing another's pain. We can allow ourselves to grieve along with our distant relatives around the country. Trying to sleep that night was difficult. Then I remembered the author's proof of the new book, "The Gratitude Book Project-365 Days of Gratitude". Feeling overwhelmed in grief, I couldn't find much to be grateful for, but I thought about all the entries in the book. Authors shared how they coped with situations using Gratitude as their focus. Soon, gratitude came back into my being. Then I saw a father of a slain child publicly share his gratitude for his daughter's life. What an inspiration to witness. We can talk about the whys until the cows come home, arguing positions of rightness vs. wrongness; separating ourselves from each other again. The moment when President Obama spoke as a father, there was no politics, just a human to human connection. Members of the Press Corp fell silent and were noticeably moved. Those are the moments when we, as humans, not democrats, republicans, libertarians, etc. can recognize how much we are alike. Of course, there are those who will take advantage of the situation. But that's a choice, too. "Hear me! A single twig breaks, but the bundle of twigs is strong." -- Tecumseh, SHAWNEE You can take one stick and break it, but if you take a bundle of a dozen sticks, it's almost impossible to break any of them. There is strength in Unity. We see this in emerging stories from Connecticut and Oregon. We see people coming together to help one another in these times of sorrow and Linda McConnell Linda McConnell, formerly of Head Hunters 11 is now at Cactus Curlers Salon She's looking forward to seeing her former clients and meeting new ones. Please call 928-927-5400 for appointments. pain. When individuals consider the good of everyone, we will make strong decisions. "If you have one hundred people who live together, and if each one cares for the rest, there is One Mind." -- Shining Arrows, CROW ... "One Heart, One Mind"... Many traditions share the same teaching; when people think of helping each other, the community will be strong. For a moment this week, people were helping those in need, comforting each other, and teaching our children the power of unity and compassion. If all the people think of helping each other communities become strong. Our community can become strong again by following these simple principles. When gossip grows, truth is then weakened. When we align ourselves with gossip and spread it around, just because someone important said it, we are not supporting a strong community. Beware of those spreading rumors just because they can. Ask yourself, "Is this supporting a strong community?" "Are those words showing caring for another?" "Are the words meant to support or tear down?" December 19, 2012 As people begin the healing process of the enormous losses recently, we must also ask, "why are we not shocked that 22 children were stabbed in China the same day 20 children were gunned down in the US?" Violence is violence. Is our pain deeper than theirs? Pain is pain. Each community is struggling with actions taken by a few which cause so much pain. When individuals think of helping each other, rather than harming each other, communities will thrive and become united. Monday afternoon, CRIT Police officers were involved in a shooting, bringing the violence much closer to home. Another family lost a loved one, due to choices the person made. The community mourns together knowing that healing will take time, but supporting the family during their time of loss. One heart... one mind. Quartzsite is healing from our wounds, also. The past is the past, and we need to learn from the past, so as not to repeat mistakes. My mother said it's okay to make mistakes... just don't make the same one twice! When we light a candle for the families who have lost loved ones, we open up our heart to another. When we can sit at a table with those we disagree with, setting aside our differences, healing can begin. When we share a smile with a stranger, we offer a part of ourselves. When we send loving thoughts and prayers for the families involved, we help in our own healing process. We can be grateful for the experience and lessons learned. When we begin to heal as a community, it reverberates around the whole world, just as a pebble in the pond. DESERT MESSENGER Quartzsite's FREE Community Paper Founded by Walt Akin, October 1, 2004 Contributing Writer, Joanne Winer Name Plate Lettering by Paul Winer Contributing Photographer, Starr BearCat PUBLISHED BY PILOT ROCK PUBLISHING CO. P.O. Box 3185, Quartzsite, AZ 85359 www.DesertMessenger.com • www.QuartzsiteBlog.com E-mail: Editor@DesertMessenger.com Published twice a month on the 1st & 3rd Wednesday, Sept. thru May with Special Summer Editions in June, July & August Opinions expressed are not necessarily those of the Desert Messenger. Shanana "Rain" Golden-Bear, Publisher A Quartzsite Licensed Business Copyright © 2012 541-218-2560