To most anyone who reads this, water and a power source like electricity is simply an expectation of being. Recently though, both were stripped away from me and too many others. It was paralyzing. It was scary. It was uncomfortable. For some, it was deadly. The questions are many and one day they’ll be answered accordingly. And then they’ll be challenged, re-asked, and re-answered. The facts will be what they will be. All I know is the fear I felt for my life is nothing I want to feel again, ever, and it is a small drop in the bucket to the fear people of color face daily. Both fears are certainly valid and should not be discounted at all just honored and acknowledged and acted upon with hope of resolution. The extraordinary moments of the past several days will have a lasting impact on me. It was traumatic. I own that. May I own also what traumatizes others and may we work as a community to that resolve. I’m grateful my experience of lacking sent such a message to me about fear in myself and in others.

How does fear manifest itself in you? How do you work through that and towards resolve? How can others help?

Gratefulness allows us … to nurture a keener eye that no longer rushes past the small everyday moments that make up the larger part of our lives.

Guri Mehta