麻豆社

Good morning. How do you be there for children who have just witnessed the unthinkable? That鈥檚 a question for the parents who led their sons and daughters away following the shooting at The Covenant School in Nashville on Monday. These parents now face real challenges coping with their children鈥檚 inevitable trauma.

That was the very particular insight of one reporter at the scene. Joclyn Bukovac had been through a shooting incident at her school thirteen years ago and she explained its lasting impact on her. 鈥淚 wasn鈥檛 really ready to talk about it for two years,鈥� she says. So, her advice to parents is: just be very gentle with your children. Let them talk when they鈥檙e ready.

As a parent, I鈥檝e not had to cope with anything so severe. But, every child has their own inner turmoil. It鈥檚 hard for us to know what they are struggling with. And it鈥檚 hard for them to talk about it. So how do we convey our willingness to help them 鈥� without being too pushy on one hand or giving the impression we鈥檙e uninterested or uncaring on the other?

For me, there鈥檚 a good example in the Bhagavad-gita, which is a text cherished by most Hindus. There we find Arjuna utterly distraught with anxiety. He sees no good options open to him. Heart-broken, he collapses beside his closest friend and mentor, Krishna, and he confides: 鈥淐an we talk?鈥�

Krishna is there for Arjuna. He offers a smile of encouragement. And they start discussing Arjuna鈥檚 doubts and fears. As Arjuna opens up, his questions are often challenging, but Krishna handles them sensitively. Eventually He asks Arjuna: 鈥淗ow are you feeling now? Has this helped?鈥�

In the Gita, Krishna epitomises this potential role of God in our lives. As Krishna tells us: 鈥淵ou are the soul in this body; I am the soul in all bodies. You remember only this lifetime. I remember all of your lives.鈥� So, for many Hindus, a key image of God is as the dependable loving shelter to whom we may turn at any time.

And, it鈥檚 an example intended to shape our own behaviour.

The parents of The Covenant School probably face many years supporting their children as they process such a terrible experience. May we never have to undergo that level of challenge. Even so, many of our children 鈥� even as adults - have troubles hidden in their hearts. Hopefully, we can be that loving shelter to whom they can turn. In the meantime. and for as long as it takes, we should remain patient, vigilant; ready to say 鈥淥f course鈥� 鈥� to the slightest prompt of: 鈥淐an we talk?鈥�

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