On Child Abuse: From Darkness To Light

As a society the majority of our fellow members of mankind live in darkness. By darkness I mean unconscious. That level of our being which from moment to moment is outside of our conscious awareness. Unconscious meaning, the years of imprints, experiences, and generational stories, which from a core level, direct our behavior in most waking moments. As long as we live in darkness there will be child abuse. Our society as a whole is marred with traumatic experiences from slavery, to the Great Depression, throughout Civil Rights, Wars, and so forth. Thus, violence and fear live within our very cells. Pulsating, communicating, and waiting until our stress escalates to the point beyond clear and coherent thinking.

Child abuse does not just occur with the poor, nor is it exclusive to the wealthy. Child abuse supersedes all socioeconomic levels and classes, it penetrates into communities, churches, and bureaucracy. Darkness prevails. It is simple, easy, relatively painless, and requires only that we move around within it, not questioning.

As long as there is darkness there will be child abuse.

Until we seek light we will not be free of child abuse. The only way to alleviate darkness is through the permission of light. Light is consciousness. To live a life of light we must seek a deeper understanding of ourselves, our history, and the current state of affairs. We must walk mindfully into each day recognizing the imprints of violence and fear from our past and challenge it at every turn so that we will not perpetuate the cycle. We must seek understanding of others, but only after we have sought it for ourselves. Until you can see something within yourself it is impossible to see it within others. At any given moment we must understand that someone is doing the best they can whether it is right or wrong, beautiful or tragic, it is a reflection of their own unconscious and the making of such has taken years and generations. By seeking to understand then we can see, relate, listen, and comprehend the pain that might be directing another’s behaviors. This requires a surpassing of judgment based on our own beliefs and values. This is yet another challenge to living in light. Non-judgment. Jesus said “Judge ye not, lest ye be judged.” Suspending judgment is not easy. If we can suspend judgment and truly meet another where they are then we can formulate the actions to help them alleviate their own darkness, thus bringing light, thus reducing the possibility for child abuse.

We must fanatically seek education. If what we have is not working it only makes sense that we must evaluate, revise, revolutionize, and advance towards a new knowledge which in and of itself brings light. Seeking education is a painful and challenging journey. To question the generations, perhaps not in every matter, but in the matters of our hearts and minds is difficult. For not only is the seeking and attainment of education pertinent, the challenge only intensifies with each step afterwards. For once you have attained a deeper understanding, a dynamic new education, and a bright enlightening, then you must face the masses. The masses can be harsh, violent, unrelenting, and dogmatic in their dark beliefs. To this point understanding and education are not enough. Not even close. Stephen Covey says, “To know and not to do is to not know.” True knowing brings about action. Action without understanding only leads us back to darkness. Next time you hear another, or even yourself make the common statement, “I know,” question whether or not you really do know. For if you know you will naturally do differently.

Therefore, understanding and education must lead us to action. Not necessarily action that will be accepted or approved, both of which you should not expect, but action that will bring you into light. A light of love over fear. The path of light is fraught with hardship, for love is not easy. Loving ourselves, truly, and others is not easy. Love is not easy. Within love there is hope, faith, trust, perseverance, commitment, and the list goes on and on. These actions are not easy. Fear and darkness are easy.

Let us question our understanding, our education, and our actions. Do they continue to be burdened by darkness, or are they steadfastly moving towards light. Do we as a society truly have the courage to prevent child abuse? The quintessential question becomes do we have the courage to end our own violence, fear, and darkness? When we can answer that question with a resounding and honest yes, then we are truly ready for a Love Revolution. Then we will begin preventing and ending child abuse.

Breathe… Love will enter, Peace will follow.

B.