Wounded people, if not nurtured and given the chance to heal, wound other people.
Image of Wounded Man (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
At what point do the wounded ones become the ones who wound?
At what point do we stop asking ourselves how we can help the wounded, and start thinking we must punish them for the wounds that they inflict?
At what point do we decide it’s time to stop helping to heal the wounded?
At what point do we stop asking ourselves what role we had to play in the wounding?
At what point do we decide we are no longer accountable, in any way?
At what point do we give up?
At what point do we ex-communicate?
At what point do we decide the wounded one has become a throw-away?
©Janet Mitchell, July 2012
We are our brother’s keeper. Oftentimes people are too busy to do anything. Other times they are scared. And Some of these times, just insensitive. I try my best to do something through my work and home but I am guilty for not trying hard enough to be involved more in my community. It is my dream to one day serve the less fortunate and to help younger kids experience love and kindness they did not experience from those who were suppose to love them. We all need to make others care one day at a time. Thanks for sharing a post that cares…
That is a beautiful and wondrous aspiration you have! You’re already spreading joy with your blog–to anyone who will just look!
In light of recent events, these are questions we are all asking ourselves. Should we also be asking what we could have done to prevent them being wounded in the first place?
Absolutely. This is part of community (local and at large) accountability–how much responsibility does our current social structure contribute? These are all difficult questions, and my intention is to get a discussion going. I don’t have any answers, but I don’t think we, as a society, can simply wash our hands of this just because we haven’t figured out any satisfactory answers for this sort of thing. Thanks so much for reading and adding to the discussion!
well, there’s each person’s ethical choice about that, particular to each person and situation….and then there’s the practical matter…how to not set off or do further damage to an already hurting and wounded person who might be motivated to then do further harm… Ethically, I don’t believe in throwing people away or giving up on them…but, practically speaking, I know some wounded people that I just have to stay away from. In my heart, I wish them well, but I stay away…tough questions…easy in theory…I believe in never, ever giving up on anyone…but more difficult in actual interactions.
Very difficult, indeed. Thank you for adding to this important discussion!
Tough questions.
Sure are.