This week many people saw my alma
mater, Mizzou, through eyes of negativity. People
took to social media to post opinions and debates, the media reported, sometimes with not all the facts. We are all entitled to our own opinion and mine is that there are always two sides and
when everyone is busy giving their own opinion or debating their side no one is
listening to the other one.
The most insightful quote of the
day came from a friend who didn’t voice her opinion on the matter she simply
left a photo with the quote: “When a person tells you that you hurt them, you
don’t get to decide that you didn’t.”
Louis CK
I decided to fill my newsfeed
with pictures of my healing grandson who is recovering from heart surgery at
the age of two months. If the last two
months have taught me anything it is that there is no diversity when it comes
to the life of an innocent child. Many
weeks we have been surrounded in the waiting rooms by family members of all
races and religions with one common goal... the continued beating of small hearts.
I have told my husband more than
once after stepping out of the hospital and listening to the news that my hope
for all those survivors is that life gives them all a chance to grow, flourish
and succeed.
Yes, this week Mizzou has lost
some leadership and with that there will have to be a rebuilding of trust with
students, faculty, staff, alumni and supporters.
But if we can see a glimpse of positive, we have shown the world that
protests can be peaceful. That higher
education was founded for thinkers who if they believe in
something strongly enough should have a voice. I am not naïve enough to think our University is the
only college campus with these problems but with open communication and
acceptance could we possibly be a leader in the change?
