War
War is everywhere.
On the news, we hear of children in the Ukraine, Israel, and Gaza who are being traumatized by war, psychological conflict, and occupation. No doubt there are many other locations around the world that are upended by political violence that don’t make front page headlines.
I wonder how many of these children are splitting off, creating new parts of themselves to cope with the never-ending violence. If research is accurate, anywhere from 1-5% — and that’s a lot of children.
If the families of these children are intact and offer them comfort and some sense of shelter, they may walk away with PTSD or another coping strategy that leaves their brains unified but damaged. If their families are dead and they’re scrounging their life on their own out of the rubble, or if their families were abusive to begin with, their psyche’s may resort to multiple selves to cope with their spiraling life circumstances. Some other percentage of these children will grow up scorning healing and taking their wounds out on others, perpetuating this deadly cycle.
We know about war, don’t we? Even in pristine homes with so-called perfect parents, wars can be waged behind closed doors that belie the sense of peace that emanates from manicured lawns. Babies who are misused and abused. Children who are manipulated and controlled. Teens who are acting out what they were taught as children, that their lives are worthless, that their only use is to satisfy the needs of the damaged adults in their spheres. Bombs and terror are unspeakable, but silence and hidden trauma are unspeakable as well.
Our healing comes, in part, from defying the violence and claiming our agency: our right to take back control and raise our voices. Today, I’m grateful that I have some measure of control in my life. Today, I raise my voice for the child victims of violence everywhere. When will war end? When will our collective woundedness stop inflicting wounds on others? In the words of folk singer Pete Seeger, when will we ever learn?
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November Events
Tuesday, October 31, 1 pm Eastern: Writing-in-Place
Tuesday, November 7, 1 pm Eastern: Traditional Workshop
Wednesday, November 8, 8 pm Eastern: Evening Writing-in-Place
Monday, November 13, 6:30 pm Eastern: DW Business Meeting
Tuesday, November 14, 1 pm Eastern: Writing-in-Place
Wednesday, November 15, 2 pm Eastern: Social Hangout
Tuesday, November 21, 1 pm Eastern: Traditional Workshop
Thanksgiving Holiday 🦃
(No workshop on Wednesday Evening, November 22.)
Tuesday, November 28, 1 pm Eastern: Writing-in-Place
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War is what happens when language fails.
~ Margaret Atwood
Lyn