by JENNIFER GOODSON, MA, LMHC
These last several weeks have been an excess of emotions for all of us. I would be remiss to write about something else and ignore the tugging at my heart. I hope you hear the heartbeat of a fellow Floridan, professional therapist, business owner, educator, wife, and mother. This is dedicated to the many lives impacted by the recent hurricanes, who have suffered loss, endured hardship, and experienced emotional distress, financial loss, and faith challenges. Whose mind, body, and spirit have suffered beyond what would seem imaginable.
Like many others, I see the devastation in the Carolinas, Tennessee, Virginia, Georgia, and in the land where I grew up, Florida. To see so much destruction, loss, confusion, and heartache before us and yet still not know the depths of what we are not seeing has been difficult. Many sitting on my couch, finding me after a class lecture, those I pass in the halls of church, or the phone calls with family and friends all experiencing so much pain. But I also have seen and heard from grateful hearts, voices of thankfulness and praise for those who have sacrificed time from their families to be the heroes of the hour. Brave hearts and able bodies going forward in rescue efforts without thought of gain. To see, hear, feel “all the things” and not go down on a bent knee and bowed head would be devastating. Yet, in the face of such adversity, our community has shown remarkable resilience and strength.
At moments, I have been speechless, felt tears on my cheeks, and the warmth of grace and peace. It is such a mixture of brokenness in touch with so much devastation and thankfulness for the courageous souls who continue to band together, demonstrating the heartbeat of our community, our state, and our country. Yes, I’m not blind to the negative feeds or media flashes. But there comes a time when we must silence the negative, read the room, and see the positive in action. It’s healthy.
It’s in those moments that we see light and healing taking place. True community unites hearts during beautiful, promising, and victorious times but also in the bad, ugly, and life-altering moments. True community unites hearts despite differences in political stance, race, social class, education, gender, or faith. True community unites hearts, sees those hurting, and does not ignore the problem but is part of the solution. True community unites hearts by giving generously in times of need, lending a helping hand, and standing beside those hurting. In these moments of hardship, our connections can shine the brightest.
Read the room – being a part of a community whose joints and marrows flow as one to breathe life and push each other to grow and develop into something beautiful and better. Rebuilding, restoring, taking something once thought to be lost, and breathing hope into its core.
This is the perspective I have chosen to adopt, despite the prevailing negativity. I am not turning a blind eye to the challenges; instead, I am choosing to be part of the solution. In the face of any problem, we have a choice: We can succumb to the fear and sadness that it brings, or we can grasp onto hope and take action to bring about healing and restoration. It is this latter choice that I urge you to make.
As these words have captured the complexities of grief and gratitude in the face of such overwhelming challenges, be encouraged to not only acknowledge the pain but also to actively participate in healing and rebuilding. Each one of us has a crucial role to play in this process, and our collective efforts will be the driving force behind our community’s recovery.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Jennifer Goodson, MA, LMHC, is a licensed mental health counselor with an office in Winter Haven, FL and a Professor of Psychology at Warner University in Lake Wales, FL. She holds a Master of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Regent University in Virginia Beach, Virginia. For more information, visit www.pathwaycounselingservice.com.