I’ve been around long enough to recall race riots and police brutality protests several times. Each time the passions run high, the protests attract large crowds and the violence, vandalism  and arson loom large. And, ultimately, each time a few changes are made and tensions ease. People resume their normal activities.

But nothing ever really gets ‘fixed.’

Can this time be different?  Will there be enough nation wide policy changes to correct problems that have existed for hundreds of years? After I lived through this a few times, I decided all I could do would be to make sure I was living my own life the best I could and try to help others achieve their goals. I’ve done a pretty good job so far. Not perfect. Just pretty good.

I’m really at a loss now to know what else can be done to help impact change. If each person would look to their own life and make sure they are treating others with respect and kindness, that would make a good start. And if everyone would make sure to vote for people they think would represent them well, and would work with other policy makers for the benefit of all of our citizens, we would be well under way to ending this unrest permanently.

That’s a lot of ifs. Still, I remain hopeful.

“ST. LOUIS, Mo. – Five people died in several shootings over the weekend in St. Louis City.

Someone shot and killed a 35-year-old man around 4:00 pm Sunday. That was at Newstead and St. Louis Avenue. Witnesses told police that the shooter rode away on a bicycle.

Earlier Sunday, a 16-year-old girl died in a shooting on Morganford avenue in south St. Louis.

A 39-year-old man was killed on Minnesota Avenue.

Police found two men shot to death inside a vehicle on Maple Avenue in north St. Louis.”

With the current focus on crime and police and the focus on the value of human life,  my attention has been turned to the increasing amount of murders in our city and in cities across the country. I just read that Chicago had one of the worst 24 hour periods for murders with 18 people dead. On Memorial Day weekend, St Louis had 9 shootings with 4 deaths. The news quote above is from the 1st weekend in June, so the pattern of shootings and death is continuing as we enter summer.

What bothers me the most about these shootings and deaths is that the individuals are never named. Certainly their families know, but the rest of the community is never informed unless the victim is a child or is in some way ‘famous.’ An example is the recent murder during a riot of a retired police captain, 77 year old David Dorn. A wonderful man, well respected and kind. He was helping guard a friend’s pawn shop when looters broke in and killed him. In his case there was film that captured photos of the looters and killer.  They have been identified and charged. Most of the other murder cases will never be solved because there were either no witnesses or the people who know what happened won’t come forward. Snitches get stitches the saying goes. I can’t say I would be able to come forward with evidence if I thought I would become the next victim, or maybe someone in my family would be killed in retaliation.

But, it continues to bother me that I will never know anything about these murder victims. People who may have been just regular people with families, jobs, churches, friends, activities they enjoyed. Life just snuffed away, and no justice for them or their families. Mothers, fathers, aunties, spouses, sisters, brothers, children, mourning the loss of their loved ones and maybe thinking no one else cares.

As a society, we need to care about these nameless victims and their families to help end the senseless murders. I’m reminded of the question: if a tree falls in a forest and no one hears it, did it make a sound? These murders should echo loud and long and shake the foundations of what we have come to take as normal. It should never be normal to take another human life or harm another person.

We have just ended May, Mental Health Awareness month, and I believe we need to continue the awareness for the rest of 2020.

Let’s face it, this has been a very unique year so far. Pandemic, job loss, business closures, shut down of the country, economic disaster, and just when we thought life might start getting back to normal, a terrible police killing in Minneapolis and protests and riots across the globe.

To people already suffering with anxiety or depression, 2020 has been a kick in the gut. This is a time, more than any other, that we need to reach out to one another with kindness and be available to listen with compassion. It seems that, just when we need to be together with friends and loved ones, we are told to stay at home. Grandparents who are longing for a hug from a grandchild are told not to get closer than 6 feet to them.  Thank goodness for technology that enables us to share face time through apps like Skype and Zoom so we can share a smile and words of love and encouragement. It’s not the same as being physically present but it helps.

Across the globe people are feeling isolated and alone.  In many cases local governments have restricted their residents’ ‘outside’ time. For many people, a walk at a park or a swim in a lake or ocean provides a sense of calm and connection to nature. With this access restricted, people with anxiety or depression issues are even more limited in ways to find relief.  We all need to be aware of the pressures on ‘at risk’ friends and neighbors during this time of pandemic and strife and stay open to listening and just being there for them.

Stay strong and be aware and compassionate. Be the safety net for fragile individuals. It’s up to all of us to keep every month Mental Health Awareness month.