{"id":2067051,"date":"2023-10-14T05:43:01","date_gmt":"2023-10-14T09:43:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/never-forget-doesnt-mean-never-look-away\/"},"modified":"2023-10-14T05:46:11","modified_gmt":"2023-10-14T09:46:11","slug":"never-forget-doesnt-mean-never-look-away","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/never-forget-doesnt-mean-never-look-away\/","title":{"rendered":"&#8216;Never Forget&#8217; means always stay aware."},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">12<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fnever-forget-doesnt-mean-never-look-away%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2067051&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><div class=\"article-content\">\n<h2>Don&#8217;t Look Away<\/h2>\n<p>As the reality of the horror in Israel has slowly unfolded in recent days, I have repeatedly heard\u2063 the plea,\u200c \u201cDon\u2019t look away.\u201d It\u2019s \u200ba rejoinder to the impulse\u2063 to \u200dshield\u200c our eyes from the perverse and evil images \u200cwe can\u2019t conceive of and don\u2019t wish to\u200c dwell on. The plea is well-founded. If the words \u201cnever \u2062again\u201d have any \u200dmeaning, we \u200ccan\u2019t\u200c look away from what is happening today. To respond to evil, we have to acknowledge it. We have to look at it.<\/p>\n<p>Yet I also understand the impulse to look away \u2014 \u200cto \u200battempt to\u200b guard our hearts and the hearts\u200d of those we love, especially of our children. One of my favorite \u200bpoems, \u201cChild\u201d \u200cby Sylvia Plath, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/big-time-lefty-actor-john-cusack-slams-dem-party-sold-out-the-working-class-for-decades\/\" title=\"Actor John Cusack criticizes Dem Party: 'Betrayed working class for years'\">perfectly\u2062 captures<\/a> this:<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p>Your clear eye is the\u2063 one absolutely beautiful thing.<br \/>I want to fill it with\u2062 color and ducks,<br \/>The zoo of the new<br \/>Whose name you meditate \u2014<br \/>April snowdrop, Indian pipe,<br \/>Little<\/p>\n<p>Stalk without wrinkle,<br \/>Pool in\u200b which images<br \/>Should\u200b be \u200cgrand and classical<\/p>\n<p>Not this troublous<br \/>Wringing\u200b of hands, this dark<br \/>Ceiling without\u2063 a star.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>Published in\u200b 1963, the \u2064poem is about a parent\u2019s love\u2063 for a child and the desire to fill that child\u2019s \u200dworld with only beauty \u2014 with age-appropriate \u201ccolor and ducks\u201d and \u2062images \u201cgrand and classical.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Yet the poem also aptly\u200c captures what so many of\u2062 us are \u2064feeling about the state of the world today. It\u2019s a \u201cdark ceiling without a star,\u201d a black hole of badness that leaves us helplessly wringing our hands, with no idea how we can \u2063help.\u200b As parents \u2014 or as anyone\u200c with responsibility for young people\u2063 \u2014 we want to protect children from the evil closing\u200c in from every direction. We want \u200dto keep clear, innocent eyes \u200cclear\u200b and\u200d innocent for as long as we can.<\/p>\n<h2>Tend Your Own Garden<\/h2>\n<p>On \u2063Dec.\u2063 14, 2012, I \u200dwas driving to pick \u2062up my daughter from college for Christmas break when\u2063 I heard the news on the\u200d radio: A lone shooter had entered Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut,\u2062 and had \u2062shot 26 people \u2014 20 children and six adults. Before\u200b driving to the school, the perpetrator had shot\u200b his own mother. In the aftermath of \u2062his murderous rampage, \u200dhe shot \u2062and killed himself.<\/p>\n<p>As the events of\u2063 the \u2064morning were reported\u2063 for hours on end and I was \u2063stuck in my car, driving, I couldn\u2019t\u2062 turn off the coverage. The horror and suffering were unimaginable. How could this happen?<\/p>\n<p>Over the next few days, I found myself sinking into \u200ba state of\u200d shocked stupor, unable to think about \u200dmuch else,\u200d almost unable to function. I had a child not much older \u2062than the 6- and\u200d 7-year-olds who\u200b had been killed. I was glued \u2063to \u200dthe news, following the nonstop updates, talking to friends and family about what had happened, \u200band posting \u200babout it on\u2063 social media.<\/p>\n<p>Finally, a pastor \u200dfriend\u200c of mine\u2063 sent\u2063 me a note. As a chaplain who\u2063 provides spiritual\u2062 care to\u200d those in extreme circumstances \u2014 first responders, members \u200dof the military, hospital patients and workers, \u200bthe incarcerated and institutionalized \u2014 he has seen the worst and best of\u200c humanity. His gentle corrective\u2063 for me was \u200cthat empathy,\u200c while a \u2064good and human \u200dtrait,\u2062 can\u2064 also be a liability.<\/p>\n<p>If our empathy becomes \u2063obsession \u2014 if we become so consumed with things beyond\u200c our control that we are neglecting \u2064the \u2063things right in front \u2064of\u2062 us \u2014\u200d we \u200dare doing no one\u2063 any good. \u2062It\u2019s one thing to be \u2064aware\u200b of what\u2019s happening. We should care and do what we can to help.<\/p>\n<p>If,\u200d however, we don\u2019t have the ability to provide immediate help, and we\u2019ve done everything we personally\u2062 can, we need to set the distant wildfire aside so we can prevent our own garden from igniting.<\/p>\n<h2>Find the Middle Road<\/h2>\n<p>A \u2062few days ago, I saw a rabbi named Eitiel Goldwicht on \u2062television talking <a href=\"https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/video\/6338838921112\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">about what to say to children following \u2062evil such\u2063 as what \u200bwe\u2019ve witnessed this week.<\/a> Goldwicht, who lives in \u2062Jerusalem\u2064 with his wife and six\u2062 children, had two main observations. First,\u2062 he echoed the refrain often heard at times like this to \u201clook for the heroes\u201d \u2014 those people who exemplify\u200b the\u200b best\u2064 of humanity rather than the \u200dworst. In their courage, love, and sacrifice, these\u2063 heroes give \u2063us hope.<\/p>\n<p>Second, Goldwicht\u2063 said the terrorists attack in two ways: physical weapons and psychological weapons. The\u2064 physical weapons are obvious and need no explanation; the psychological weapons are the terror, \u200csadness, \u2062and hopelessness experienced by the victims of terror as well \u2063as, to a lesser\u200b degree, those watching from a distance. With\u2062 every horrific livestream\u2062 and news report, the reach of that horror is extended.<\/p>\n<p>Though it\u2019s difficult, we adults must face the evil first and then pinpoint\u2062 when it\u2019s time to look away. But children\u200c can\u2019t\u2064 do\u200b that. When \u2062my son was much younger, I shielded him \u200bfrom a\u2064 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/planned-parenthood-sues-after-south-carolina-governor-signs-heartbeat-bill\/\" title=\"Planned Parenthood Sues After South Carolina Governor Signs \u2018Heartbeat\u2019 Bill\">pro-life march<\/a> before he was ready to learn about the horrors of abortion. In the same way, it\u2019s \u200cup to us to \u200ddraw the line and keep our children from crossing it \u200dbefore they are ready.<\/p>\n<h2>Never Forget<\/h2>\n<p>Sometimes, for our own sanity and ability to carry\u2064 on, we have\u200d to look away.<\/p>\n<p>Indeed, the evil going\u200b on \u200bthousands of miles away matters. But the people who sleep\u2063 and wake in our\u2063 home, who depend \u200con us for their room and board,\u2062 who need us to show up for work and church and school and \u200cto speak words of\u2062 comfort to \u200bthem, are not served by our own minds and hearts living 24\/7 somewhere else. It may be that to keep \u200cdoing\u200c the things we need to\u200b do\u200b <em>here<\/em>, we sometimes need to look away, at least for a time,\u2063 from what is going on <em>there<\/em>.<\/p>\n<p>What \u200dwe must <em>never<\/em> do, however, \u2064is forget.<\/p>\n<hr>\n<\/div>\n<p> <\/p>\n<h2> What role \u2064does empathy and \u200dcompassion play in finding a path \u200cof peace and understanding amidst the chaos in Israel<\/h2>\n<p><span>  &#8220;ttps:\/\/www.cnn.com\/videos\/us<a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/never-forget-doesnt-mean-never-look-away\/\" title=\"'Never Forget' means always stay aware.\">\/2021\/05\/13\/rabbi-israel-gaza-lah-pkg-vpx<\/a>.cnn&#8221;>about \u200bthe violence in\u2062 Israel<\/a>. He was deeply saddened by the loss of life on both sides and urged viewers not to take sides\u200d but to find a path of compassion and understanding. He urged us all to seek out the middle road, where\u2062 we can acknowledge the suffering and pain of both Israelis and Palestinians.<\/p>\n<p>This\u200d message struck a chord with \u200dme. In times of\u200b conflict and tragedy, it&#8217;s easy to get caught up in taking sides, in pointing fingers and\u200b laying blame. But it&#8217;s important to\u200c remember \u2062that the path to peace and understanding is not\u2064 found in polarizing rhetoric, but \u2062in empathy\u200d and compassion\u200b for all those involved.<\/p>\n<p>We must remember that even in the midst of horror, there are\u2064 still acts of kindness and \u2062love happening all around us. We must not overlook the stories of Israelis \u200dand Palestinians coming together to help their neighbors, to \u2063provide aid and comfort in the face of unimaginable loss.<\/p>\n<p>As\u2063 difficult as it may \u2063be, we cannot look away\u200d from the\u200b suffering \u2062in Israel. But as we bear witness to the atrocities, we must also hold\u200b onto hope\u2062 and look for\u200c the flicker of light\u200c in the darkness. We \u200cmust acknowledge the pain and despair, but \u2062also the resilience\u200d and\u2063 strength of the human spirit.<\/p>\n<p>So, don&#8217;t look away. Lean into the discomfort, confront the evil, and seek understanding. But also remember to tend your own \u200cgarden. \u2062Be present for those you love, support \u2062your community, and spread kindness and compassion wherever you can. In doing so, \u2064we\u2062 can create\u2062 small pockets of peace and understanding amidst the chaos.<\/p>\n<h2>The Power of Attention<\/h2>\n<p>It may feel overwhelming to confront \u2063the\u200b horror and\u200d suffering happening in Israel and in other parts\u2063 of \u2063the world. But by looking away,\u200d we do a disservice to\u200c those who are suffering and to ourselves.<\/p>\n<p>When we look away,\u2064 we \u2062allow the darkness to \u2064grow unchecked. We deny ourselves the opportunity to truly understand the complexity of the situation and to work\u200b towards \u200ba better \u2062future. We give up our power to make a difference.<\/p>\n<p>By paying attention,\u2062 by bearing witness, we take a stand against injustice and evil. We send a message that we will not tolerate the atrocities committed\u200c against innocent people. We\u2064 create \u2063a space for healing and change.<\/p>\n<p>So, let us not look\u2064 away. Let us face \u2062the horror\u2063 with open \u200deyes and open hearts. Let \u2062us stand together in \u2063solidarity with the people of Israel\u2062 and all \u200dthose suffering around the world. And let us\u200d work \u2063towards a future where no one has to utter the words\u200c &#8220;never again&#8221; ever again.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>As the horror in Israel becomes more apparent, a plea echoes: &#8220;Don&#8217;t turn away.&#8221; It reminds us not to shy away from the unimaginable and disturbing images we&#8217;d rather avoid. This plea is justified, for ignoring the reality only perpetuates the suffering.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":736,"featured_media":2067052,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cndimages.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2758-scaled-1.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[546],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2067051","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-federalist"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cndimages.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2758-scaled-1.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2067051","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/736"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2067051"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2067051\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2067052"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2067051"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2067051"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2067051"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}