In memory of this little Syrian boy who drowned a year ago. I also raise the growing suicide rates among NZ school children and US military veterans as well.
Refugee, homelessness, suicide and military PTSD are all related in some way. People are struggling to connect with finding a home,both spiritual and physical.
A lot of school children in NZ are attempting suicide on a daily basis. My cousin Nori Parata at Uawa Area High School Tolaga Bay deals with 3-4 suicides a week. A decade ago this was unheard of. Its shows that emotional resilience & aroha is needed to heal the young wounded hearts. Something is fundamentally wrong with society when our young see no point in living and have lost their connection to life. The only way out is to exit life. It is a form of homelessness. Just like people without a physical house. The soul exits the house of the body and leaves the planet. Suicide. She is not happy with her whare (house), whanau (family) or whenua (land). So she leaves all three behind. Physical homelessness and spiritual homelessness are both connected. Same with the large numbers of military veterans in US who commit suicide daily. Around 22 a day. Again they feel disconnected from life and society so they exit the body.
It starts with caring. Real caring that burns you and hurts you to tears. Bit like looking at this small Syrian boy who drowned on Greek shore 1 year ago today. Refugee at a young age. Little shoes on. Peaceful in death. Today is Father’s day in NZ yet this boy’s father is asking why my little boy? After one year, the Syrian war continues to get worse. More kids dying. This is our SOS signal to us adults. We start making a change. All Fathers, use Father Day to answer SOS call. Start with a Smile. It says a 100 words in any language. A Smile. A whole body smile. Eyes, face, mouth, aura smiling.Then the Kids will remember to Smile. Life will have hope. Practice Hari Koa, the martial art of fearless smiling. A fearless smile that cracks your face from cheek to cheek. If you are gummy, no teeth, or big scar, that is better. It shows fearlessness and happiness at being fully you in this present moment. Look in the mirror. Give a full facial smile. Combined with a double fisted haka move “Yes”. Practice crying and then smiling as you wipe the snot and tears away. Then the kids will see the real power that a smile has. There is life after a good cry. A smile is like a sun returning when the dark storm has ripped you apart. Be fearless and smile for life. Smile in memory of the innocent dead children. Different type of smile to the full gushing one yet just as powerful for it is bitter sweet. Be fearless with your smile. Thank it. It will appear more.
