Staying Mentally Well During COVID-19: It's Comforting To Draw Strength From Our Elders

-
Each day when we wake up, we face a harsh reality. The COVID-19 pandemic has robbed us from what we had, redefined us from who we were, and in many cases, relinquished us to a life we have never known before.We are filled with fear and anxiety. Stress keeps mounting. With so many things out of our control, we wonder how we will ever get through this. We turn to the experts on COVID-19, and our hearts and hopes sink a bit as we absorb the forecast.This virus is teaching us as we go along, and it is a bit of guessing game, even for those who are in the know. Although our elders may not have all the answers, it's comforting to draw strength from their experiences with suffering.

Most of us have had some experience with suffering. However, not many of us have lived through the sufferings of oppression, plagues, and wars which our elders and ancestors endured. Their stories of survival can teach us about sacrifice, strength, and survival.  Ask your elders to share their stories. Listen to them. Learn from them. And find comfort in knowing that our elders possess a time-honored gift - perspective. They know that although this time of crisis is hard, we will learn from it and we will become better because of it. They are living proof.


Over the next few weeks and perhaps months, set aside time to connect with your elders and ancestors in ways which are safe. In addition, take advantage of any resources available to you such as books, videos, and movies which portray the sufferings of your tribe, native peoples, or ancestral heritage. As you take in their stories, share the lessons learned with others in your family. And then, see what you can apply to your situation.  

During this time when so many things don't make sense, let's turn to our elders. Let's honor their years of suffering by embracing their wisdom and tethering our hopes to their stories of sacrifice, strength, and survival.  




Other healing posts in this series:

 It's Healing To Cry
It's Soothing To Soak
Understanding Our Grief Helps Us To Move Through It

 * Author's note: Three of my most treasured books on wisdom shared through the stories of a Lakota elder are the following by Kent Nerburn:

Neither Wolf nor Dog
The Wolf at Twilight 
The Girl Who Sang to the Buffalo 

  For more healing resources, visit Holli Kenley

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

"Educated" Reminds Us, Speaking Truth About Abuse Comes At A Cost. Speak It Anyway.

-
Image
Recently, I finished reading  Tara Westover's powerful memoir, "Educated."  This blog is neither a review of her work or a critique of its content. It is about its offerings. I think one of the extraordinary gifts of "Educated" is Ms. Westover's willingness to share her story with raw and rarely revealed levels of vulnerability. I was completely taken by this book. Why?  Because "Educated" Reminds Us, Speaking Truth About Abuse Comes At A Cost. And, Tara Westover, chose to Speak It Anyway . Speaking Truth About Abuse Comes At A Cost Folks often question why victims don't speak up or why they don't speak up sooner about their abuse. Although there are many reasons for not doing so and individual circumstances vary greatly,   Tara Westover's memoir courageously unveils the costs of speaking truth about abuse and bravely unearths their painful consequences.  Let's explore three areas of cost: Being Shamed Being Shattered Bein
Read more

Forgiveness Does Not Heal Betrayal: Here's Why

-
Image
Recently I gave a TED Talk - BETRAYAL: The Loss No One Is Talking About . At the beginning of  the talk I asked the audience two questions: "If you have ever felt betrayed, have you been told to give it time, to trust again, or to forgive? And if you tried any of those things, have you felt better....or bitter?" With over ten thousand hours in session as a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist working with clients healing from betrayal, I've heard from hundreds of individuals who have wondered why they still are stuck in the pain of their betrayal injury, even after they have forgiven their betrayer/s.  Based on years of researching and analyzing betrayal and on my professional experience, I believe Forgiveness Does Not Heal Betrayal. Here's Why. Healing From Betrayal - Concept #1 Practicing forgiveness may release the hold the betrayer has on you. But it does not heal the betrayal wound. I want to acknowledge that practicing forgiveness holds deep meaning in
Read more

Inside "The Glass Castle," Parents Betray Their Children

-
Image
"The Glass Castle" is a film based on the best-selling memoir by Jeanette Walls.  It is painful and powerful. It is heartwarming and heartbreaking. Jeanette Walls, despite being raised in a chaotic and negligent environment, broke free from the bonds of family dysfunction and built a life for herself as an accomplished journalist. Today's blog is not a review of the movie nor is it a commentary on how Jeanette's story has touched the hearts and souls of its readers and viewers. After seeing the movie, although I was moved by Jeanette's triumph over tragedy, I was reminded that it came at a cost. The message which resonated for me was... Inside "The Glass Castle," Parents Betray Their Children  Over the past ten years, I have written and spoken about "betrayal." It is a topic I am comfortable with and passionate about. When we think of "betrayal," our minds typically turn to issues of infidelity or other relationships in which
Read more