I don’t need to tell you that times are weird. It seems like so much of our collective shadow stuff is front and center requiring us to look at it and deal with it, one way or another. I have found myself numbing-out to the onslaught of insanity and negativity. I promised myself I wouldn’t do that….but there it was.

My reality check came on the heels of the weekend that saw 3 mass shootings: Gilroy, CA, Dayton, OH, and El Paso, TX. I remember thinking, “oh, yeah….another shooting….” and I instantly knew that I had become apathetic and this was not ok. I felt also that if I am reacting this way there must be many more people who are accepting so much hate and fear as the new normal. I knew that my only response could be radical love.

Jeff Parness had scheduled an appointment with me during the spring, and he told me about his passion project of a life. I was completely enthralled, moved, and insisted I had to be a part of his vision. We put some pieces into place, and Universal timing took over. It was not until I decided that the only response to a tragic event is to demonstrate radical love that I knew I had to step into being the Stars of Hope Jackson Hole ambassador and create our first event. I reached out to my friend Heather DeVine, who started her organization, People Spread Love, as her radical love response several years ago. I asked if she would help me and cohost the event. I was grateful she said yes!

I knew that others in my community must be feeling angry, sad, disempowered, and overwhelmed from the violence of that weekend. It was important to give people a vehicle to take some positive action. Coming together in love and support of our fellow Americans, and standing in radical love in the face of rage and fear is a key to shifting away from the negativity that is gripping our nation. It is a way to say we will not tolerate hate. The only way to dissolve hate is with love.

Our wonderful community embraced and supported our endeavour even as it was put together at the last minute. Our local paper wrote an article about our upcoming event and we did our best to quickly spread the word. I basically decided to hold this event with a week to prepare!

It was a success! We painted 26 amazing stars conveying our solidarity, love, and well wishes to help heal the El Paso community.

I look forward to a time when we will be sending Stars of Hope all over the world for inspiration, not healing. Until then, we will be standing in radical love to do the healing work necessary to bring that reality to fruition.