I Feel ___________.

With so much going on around us we must take a moment to pause.

May 2022 had so much potential to bring in flowers. The kind that blossoms with vibrant colors and natural scents, creating moments of joy and exhales of comfort. But there was a darkness that covered our ability to see the brightness, leaving many of us unable to fill in the blank, "I feel ___________."

Numb. Sad. Confused. Exhausted. I don't know. I'm Not OK. I'm OK.

My words are replaced by sorrow because evil prevails. Incapable of fathoming hatred, feelings that I do not possess, I looked at my child and lost my focus. At that moment, I thought of those parents in Texas or the families in New York, and I felt unfit to be a mother. I imagine someone reading this thinking that such a comment can seem dramatic, but every day, I have to ask myself, "How will I protect my black son?" Parental anxiety is at an all time high in all parents.

What can we do to help protect our children?

Now is an opportunity to discuss culture, mental health, and emotions. We should focus on nourishing conversations to understand how we can change the future for all of our children. We need to fill in the blanks, change the narrative and reduce the tragedies. If we position ourselves to make it a priority, we can change the outcome.

How are you filling in the blank? We encourage you to use the space below to write your feelings, compose a message to yourself or the world.