We don’t think that it is well known that November is Native American Heritage Month and that the day after our American Thanksgiving is Native American Heritage Day. We would bet that most people think of the day after Thanksgiving as Black Friday. Black Friday, for some time, has marked the beginning of the holiday buying season.
The reality is that many Native Americans see Thanksgiving as a day of mourning and protest since it commemorates the arrival of settlers in North America and the centuries of opposition and genocide that followed. Today, as we look back to the history of our America, we see a country riveted with a history of violence and war.
Back in 1968, the U.S. was described as a sick society following the assassinations of the Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Robert F. Kennedy. Racism and violence abounded at that time. The day before Martin Luther King, Jr. was killed, he stated that, “The nation is sick, trouble is in the land, confusion all around…”
Today in 2023, we are still facing those troubles in addition to climate change, pandemics, mass shootings, and food and water insecurity. This can be a tough world to live in. With that said, it may be time to think about the emotional weight a “sick world” creates and address the phenomena of compassion fatigue.
Compassion fatigue was originally defined as the “cost of caring” for those working in the health care setting. It is known to be a subsequent or secondary trauma after being exposed to the distress that patients have experienced. Healthcare professionals are frequently taught not to be a rock but also not to be a sponge for they must judge how much emotion they can take on and take in.
We now believe that anyone can experience compassion fatigue considering the direct effect of multiple overwhelming events occurring in the world and on this planet today. Those with profound compassion fatigue find that their minds and spirits can no longer endure the emotional pain and drain of expressing compassion. It is unfortunate that many have arrived at this place but it is not a surprise considering the predicament of our current civilization for this can directly and adversely affect our nervous systems and psyches.
Yes, some endure the load of what humankind has created and some may run out of compassion while others become addicted to the drama. Either way, there is a great deal going on these days in our world. So, if you find yourself on some days feeling like your emotional tank is on empty, do not be surprised.
With each passing holiday, may we all take the time to reboot, recharge, and rethink our role on this planet. Our first responsibility may be that of being thankful for those people and things that we are fortunate enough to have in our lives. For being grateful and thankful is the one thing that can move us from being fundamentally human to being humane.
“Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion to clarity. It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend.”
–Melody Beattie
This blog is dedicated to Rosalynn Carter who lived a thankful life of gratitude while working towards peace and kindness.
