December 1 was World AIDS Day. Worldwide, 15 million children have lost one or both parents to the AIDS pandemic; in Zimbabwe, one in five children are orphans. Technology makes it possible for us to be more aware of what is going on, everywhere, every moment of the day. What is happening to us as we continue to be bombarded by so much news, so much suffering? What is our coping strategy? Our instinct is to shut down, to flee. We turn away and try to get on with our lives. A simple practice of “bearing witness” keeps us from hiding from the reality of other people’s lives even when we feel impotent in the face of their pain.
Pause on a photo of recent devastation in the newspaper or stand and patiently listen to someone you’d rather avoid or just sit with someone who is experiencing grief. Trust that it can be healing even if you don’t say a word. What were you willing to notice today? How did you bear witness to suffering?
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