Sheila and Sarah - Day 2

Sheila Day 2

BLACK Friday . . . I have to be totally truthful and admit that I do not know a ton about the after the holiday  chaos that commonly has folks on the quest to find . . . well, something!  A few years ago, Rah thought it would be FUN for us to spend a little quality mother/daughter time and do a little Black Friday shopping.  Our first indicator that something was HORRIBLY wrong should have been that we drove around for 30+ minutes searching for a parking spot.  It really was like finding the proverbial needle in a haystack!  Frustration had almost set in even before the day began!  Once we found a place to park somewhere in the west forty, we made our way into Herbergers.  The scene that I saw as soon as we entered the doors, really was a site, and I struggled to move forward amidst the sea of people and stuff and sales people, and I kind of felt like I was in a mosh pit at a rock concert where the crowd moved you in a direction that you may or may not have intended to go.  The lines wrapped around the stores like garland wrapped around the branches of a beautiful evergreen.  Saying I was OVERWHELMED was a vast understatement.  I found myself panicking to get out of there and find someplace that was more peaceful, less crowded, and that did not feel so constricting!  As we made our way into the mall, we soon realized that place of peace did not exist in the mall on Black Friday.  Amidst the masses of people, things, and chaos, we seemed so insignificant . . .

This week, I heard many folks giggling and talking about their planned excursions to go Black Friday shopping today.  There were some cute pictures on Facebook of individuals exhausted and happy from the hunt.  I chuckled, because  I could not think of one thing that I needed or wanted that would bring me into a store today . . . that I KNOW for sure!  I did decide to do a little research as it is hard to get a ton of writing inspiration in your pj's plopped in a recliner. My journey today led me on a quest to discover the true meaning of Black Friday, and discover I did. 

Often businesses operate in the "red" even though the goal is typically to operate in the "black."  Black Friday indicates the point in which retailers began to turn a profit and operate in the black.  Weirdly enough, this happened for many after the Thanksgiving holiday when sales were targeted towards Christmas shoppers.  For many years retailers would open at 5:00 a.m. In the late 2000s, the time got earlier and earlier, and eventually rebels like Target, Kohls, Macy's, and others opened at midnight for the very first time!  In 2012, many stores announced that they would be opening at 8:00 p.m. on Thanksgiving Day causing a walkout by many workers.

The goal for retailers is the same as it is for all of us as individuals . . . to find a way to operate free from debt.  And I found myself thinking about this concept today, Black Friday, what it means for us as human beings to be in the black and the red.  I think that this is much, much more than a money thing, after all, how many of us are emotionally operating in deficit mode?

Today's journey for me is kind of a blast into the past where I think about those that have touched my life that are in need or missing something. Where someone or something has left a gaping black hole where life once was, and perhaps they are feeling as though they are indeed operating in the with scars that are gaping and bleeding.  It seems like when there is a crisis or a death or some sort of tragedy, we come together as human beings in an attempt to offer support and acts of kindness.  BUT what about when the crisis is over and life's wounds begin to scab and scar?  Individuals are still operating in the red, but hoping to find a place of peace where they can once again operate in the black.  Sigh . . .

Life . . . and then my journey into my own spaces reminded me of those folks that have experienced such great loss and I remembered a song that is a good reminder for all of us as we get wrapped up into the hustle and bustle of the holiday season to pay attention. We all Bleed Red by Brooks and Dunn is a reminder for us to really take some time and think about what it means for a human being to be in the red.  I would like to share the lyrics.

Let's say we're sorry before it's too late
Give forgiveness a chance
Turn the anger into water
Let it slip through our hands

We all bleed red
We all taste rain
We all fall down, lose our way
We all say words we regret
We all cry tears
We all bleed red

If we're fighting, we're both losing
We're just wasting our time
Because my scars they are your scars
And your world is mine
You and I

We all bleed red
We all taste rain
We all fall down, lose our way
We all say words we regret
We all cry tears
We all bleed red

Sometimes we're strong
Sometimes we're weak
Sometimes we're hurt and it cuts deep
We live this life breath to breath
We're all the same
We all bleed red

Let's say we're sorry before it's too late

We all bleed red
We all taste rain
We all fall down lose our way
We all say words we regret
We all cry tears
We all bleed red
Sometimes we're strong
Sometimes we're weak
Sometimes we're hurt and it cuts deep
We live this life breath to breath
We're all the same
We all bleed red

Indeed many of us are operating in the red this holiday season.  Please take this journey with us, look around you, and see and hear some of the things that Rah and I have seen. Look harder.  Harder yet. See those that are operating in the red, whose wounds are gaping, and help them to find a place of peace . . . after all, we all bleed red.

Sheila

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Sarah Day 2

Do you know . . . 

What makes a person a hero?

I know I said this in my post yesterday, but I love my classes. I'm wrapping up the final weeks of Intro to Humane Education and Environmental Ethics. We have some really neat assignments, and every assignment seems to be incredibly powerful. Both of my classes require us to do these things called Film Festivals, which I really enjoy. There are usually 3-4 Film Festivals for each class, and anywhere from 4-9 films for each festival. I just finished up the final set of films, and I can not seem to get them off my mind. 

I found the theme of the group of films to be bravery. Humane Education is very much about being brave and fighting for what you believe in. It's about standing up for your beliefs, standing up for yourself, and standing up for every other being on this earth. Being a Humane Educator means looking at the world critically, and finding a way to change it. Let's face it, we live in a pretty messed up place and we need to make some improvements before it's too late. Being brave is not always easy, and I certainly know that being a Humane Educator is not going to be easy, but I do know that I was born to do it. 

The narrator of one of my favorite films opens with,"What is it that makes a person a hero? Is it the risk they take, or the lives they change? There are people in the world today who are offering hope instead of despair. They are the new heroes." This got me to thinking about the qualities that make a person a hero. For me, I believe bravery makes a person a hero. No hero becomes a hero without being brave.

I consider myself lucky to have so many heroes in my life. My dad has been with the MN state patrol for over 26 years. He has had to brave so many times throughout his career. Police officers end up in so many intense and scary situations that they often do not get the credit they deserve. I'm grateful that my pops has had the courage to protect my family and our community for so long. His retirement in May will be a serious celebration! 

My brother is following in my dad's law enforcement footsteps. He is trying to get a job with the Fargo Police Department, but for the last several years, he has been an EMT. I think it takes and incredible amount of bravery any time you have someone else's life on the line, which is quite often when you are an EMT.

My fiancé is also following in my dad's footsteps. Jesse has been around the family for almost eight years, so my dad inspired him to go into Law Enforcement. Jesse is currently a deputy for Cass County Corrections, working towards becoming a police officer for Cass County. He is so good at his job which makes me incredibly proud! 

My sister-in-law, Sam has to be brave as she is an RN for Pediatrics Home Health. Not only does she have to be brave as a nurse but she has to be emotionally strong for these sick kids and for their parents. Nursing is something that I would not have the strength to do, but I strongly admire the people like Sam who do have that strength.

Mom is a different kind of brave. I love her professional title that she has on Facebook - Academic Dean/English Instructor/Pastor at White Earth Tribal and Community College. Talk about a person who wears many hats. Mom loves spending her time at the tribal college. She is always working towards positive changes, and inspiring her students to be the best they can be. Mom used to be a full time pastor, where her bravery showed through many times. She was there for other's at their lowest of lows and their highest of highs. Being a pastor means never being "off the clock." She was not only a pastor, but she was a mentor, a friend, and a confidant. 

Dad, Jordan, Jesse, Sam, and Mom are all heroes in my book. They are brave, they take risks and they change lives. They are courageous and they are determined. They care about the people around them more than they care about themselves. They would put their life on the line to save a perfect stranger. That is a hero. 

Sarah