Tears for France

Exactly one year ago yesterday, I arrived by plane into Marseille, France.  I would later travel to London for a Psychopathology conference, but the first part of my travels was for me.  I had plans to stay in the Provence of France for a few days and was hoping to go and see the lavande (lavender) in bloom.  Aside from getting lost, having roads closed because of fires and nothing open to ask for directions because of the holiday, I had an amazing and marvelous time.

Yesterday, France experienced a horrific terrorist attack in Nice during Bastille Day celebrations.  This comes all too soon after the attacks in Bangladesh, Bagdad, Orlando, Istanbul, Brussels, and Paris.  My heart breaks, literally breaks from the loss, from the stories, from the pictures.  It can sometimes feel overwhelming, devastating even.

Sometimes traumas such as these can bring up feelings that we don't know what to do with.  It can remind us of a personal tragedy that may be unresolved or just too recent.  We may wonder why we have these deep reactions when we don't even know any of the victims or live in the community that experienced the tragedy.  Research shows that you can experience symptoms from a tragedy, without even being there.  The symptoms are real and should be addressed.  Whether you seek professional help or implement self-care strategies, the important thing is to not ignore what you are feeling and experiencing.

Self-care is something that all of us need to practice daily, but even more so when events like this happen.  What do you do to take care of yourself?  Is it a walk outside, perhaps drawing or maybe spending time with loved ones?  This won't solve the larger problem of attacks on innocent people, but it can help us to cope and manage our own symptoms, feelings and emotions.

#PrayingforFrance

Some tips from APA on managing indirect exposure to terror:
http://www.apa.org/helpcenter/terror-exposure.aspx

Wings of Strength

From her first breath, the odds are against her

All types of predators are looking to destroy her

In order to stay alive, she must move,

Move to breath, move to live

She eats, She grows, She survives

She finds a safe place to hide

Not to hide out of fear, but to prepare for her transformation

She chooses a calculated spot

She must have some intrinsic knowledge deep within

She attaches herself to a silk button and then,

Lets go

Her whole life has been in preparation for this one moment

A true Metamorphosis

Deep inside she knows she is something beautiful

She sheds her skin for the final time

What appears to an outsider as death, is just the beginning of her rebirth

If you watch very closely, you will see small tiny movements

She is still alive, she is still fighting

As the chrysalis transforms from a jeweled green exterior
to a thin clear shell

It is almost time

She breaks free and hangs from the empty shell of whom she once was

Just a shell of her past, not a dictator of her future

She begins to stretch her soft wrinkled wings

She starts to pump them, stretch them...

Until they are transformed into symbols of strength

And when the time is right,
she takes flight

She is free