Hold On To One Another
March carries a noticeable heaviness. It's a month when memories of loss and devastation weigh heavily on our hearts.
March 03, 2020, was a day that left large parts of Middle Tennessee devastated by a tornado outbreak. Twenty-five people were killed and it was one of the most costly tornados in US history.
Middle Tennessee was still reeling from the shock and trauma from the tornados when reports about COVID-19 began to demand global attention. Immediate and dramatic actions were needed around the world. It wouldn’t be long before we became tired of hearing about “unprecedented” because, truly, so many of our experiences were unlike any other moments in recorded history. It was a scary time and it didn’t take long before the pressure would get to us and we would fall to our human tendency to polarize, placing ourselves in “this” or “that” camp. It went from being what many of us thought would be a brief, intense time to years of isolation and division. When I see pictures of my family from March 2020, it takes me back to a time that was impossibly hard and reminds me of how much so many lost.
Then, last March, Nashville joined a long list of cities impacted by the horrors of a shooting at a local elementary school. We are quickly approaching the first anniversary which falls on March 27. The Covanant School shooting has left a community grieving the worst kind of grief with ripple effects felt across our city and state.
Through my work as a coach, I’m grateful for the experience of witnessing the healing that happens in purposeful and courageous community, particularly in my work with United Methodist clergywomen. These incredible women, navigating the complexities of a church in transition, have shown me the importance of finding spaces where we can share our grief and our struggles and celebrate one another’s humanity and resilience. It's in these spaces that we find the strength to heal, to grow, and to reclaim our power and agency.
Culturally, we try to rush grief. But to heal, we have to honor our humanity and acknowledge where we’ve been. May we do the work of creating spaces of healing and support, not just for ourselves but for our communities and the world. Life is too hard to do alone. Dear ones, know that you are not alone. Hold on to hope and one another!
Where do you find yourself in this season?
How might you find a community of beloveds to carry the burdens of grief with you?
