I'm a human being, my life has value!

How many of you have watched the movie from 1976 The Network?  I haven't, though I keep thinking I should because of the famous scene that is typically called the "Mad as hell" scene. I'll insert it here for you, if you're interested. Be warned, there's a few curse words, including 'hell'. 

This scene seems to resonate with me every time I watch it. I can't get away from this one line in particular, "I'm a human being, my life has value."  So many people are fighting to be recognized, to be understood, to be cared about. So many people are fighting so many systems... they're waiting in line for services... services that usually refer to people as a number. Are we taking time to really see and hear them? To show that yes, they are  valued and that the service system is here to help them be bolder, not to take away.  It takes courage to come to the system for help. People want to feel valued and the system can make people feel the opposite. 

This morning as I arrived to my desk at the office a weird feeling hit me. I stood staring at my chair and felt my eyes begin to well up as I felt like a machine and my brain said, "Working for the man." I felt frustrated before... wanting to yell just like the people in the video do. I've never felt this before. Not because I'm giving up. I'm not sure not done fighting for what's right... for the dignity that every single person deserves. But right now... it's tough. 

If you're feeling the same today, let me say it to you now, "You are a human being and your life has value!"

And today, I'm reminding myself of that, too. I'm not a machine, that "I'm a human being, and my life has value!"

So what can I do about it? This is what I'm going to work on for me:

  • Slow down long enough to actually see people.

  • Slow down long enough to capture the joy of each day.

  • Give myself the same grace I give everyone else: permission to be human, to feel things, to rest, to reset, and to keep going.

Because the work is hard. The systems are heavy. But people are worth it.


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Hands Off Special Education!

Image
We need to sound the alarm on the proposed & recent cuts to the Dept of Education, specifically those to Special Education Services & the core functions of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). These staffing cuts aren't just budget adjustments; they are a direct attack on the rights and well-being on our nation's children with disabilities. IDEA is a landmark civil rights law that guarantees a Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE) for every child with a disability. It ensures access to specialized instruction, related services like speech, occupational, and physical therapy, & essential legal protections. I have listened to this poem by  Lederick Horne  a few times since these most recent actions to the Dept. of Education's Office of Special Education & Rehabilitative Services (OSERS). I feel so many emotions like anger , disappointment , scared , & sad . I don't know what to think & barely know what to do.  Decimating the s...
Read more

Another year upon us!

Image
Happy New Year!  How many times have you heard this so far this month?  I think one thing this time of year and that phrase causes me to do is think about what will it take to have a happy year?  Many times I think we see the new year as a new chance to start something, learn something, etc. Look at gym memberships - they will increase in January as people start getting fit. Why do we choose to put it off and wait until another year? Why not the next month..or next week? Or better yet, the next day? If it's something you want to do or want to achieve, just start.  ...this is all sounding good to me, but yet this year... well, about halfway through the year, something changed. I don't know what - haven't figured that out. Something changed and the momentum I had gained in working out consistently and starting to plan and cook more at home hit a huge wall... a wall I am having trouble getting over. Every day my intention is to do better, but then I find myself disappoi...
Read more

Silencing my inner critic...

Image
Lately, I've been focusing on 'silencing my inner critic.'  My life coach, Mandi , has really been a huge help in me realizing how damaging this critic has been.  I haven't even realized how bad it's gotten, but my self-talk wasn't nice.  I've named this critic 'Sneaker' because its been sneaking around my life, throwing in gut punches, jabs, upper cuts, and knock outs to my psyche for a while.  Oh so long....  Sometimes it doesn't sneak around though.  Yesterday was one of those days. Omigosh, I was such a crank! I think this stemmed from feeling overwhelmed with things I need to do and want to do in my professional and personal life.  And then things started happening that just started me griping about - an email here, a meeting there... and then BEEP.  The smoke alarm started beeping. No, not a fire beep, but you know the sound when the battery is low?  Yes... that beep that keeps coming... every so often, though never in any sort of rhyth...
Read more