Once again tragedy has gripped our nation in an unexpected unimaginable way. I am struggling to find the words to bring sense to the events surrounding the murder of Robert Godwin, Sr. Nonetheless, I feel compelled to address the incident. Why? Because this is not a time to be silent. This type of event has the potential to cause a spirit of depression to hover over a person, and one too many negative exposures about the tragedy might open a window into the mind that allows depression a resting place. I want to help prevent this from happening.
It’s interesting that my immediate concern in regards to the murder of Mr. Godwin is not how it might impact those who struggle with depression, but rather those who do not. People who struggle with depression might interpret this tragedy differently than those who don’t. Ironically, these incidents have become more and more frequent so people who deal with depression might have a better grip on coping mechanisms to prevent sinking into a depressive state. We’ve been around the coffee cup enough times to know where the handle is. However, people who have not been diagnosed as clinically depressed might have a tougher time navigating through how to cope.
If you have never battled depression, and this tragedy has caused you to feel as if you are swimming in sadness, don’t be afraid of drowning. It is perfectly fine to feel how ever you feel…sad, scared, vulnerable, angry, depressed. Just note that the feelings you might be having don’t necessarily mean that you have depression. There’s a difference between being depressed and having depression. Also, you are not crazy. And most importantly, you are not alone. You are perfectly okay. You just might need a little bit of advice as to how to deal with this obstacle. Let’s catch this hovering spirit of depression before it finds a place to land and rest. The best way to do this is to be optimistic. How? By using the tool that spread this tragedy as a tool to inspire hope.
Social media is a tangled web of positives and negatives. It allowed the world the ability to see the murder of Mr. Godwin. It also allows the world to connect to help find his monstrous killer. Best of all, it can be used as a place to heal. I encourage you to use social media as a tool to heal. Here’s how.
- Let’s put a positive spin on the narrative.
Let’s not mention the name of the killer and/or bring any glorification to his malicious act. Instead let’s take note from comedian Gary Owen, a native of Cleveland. He posted this message to his Instagram account. This is Robert Godwin, Sr.
Let’s make a conscious effort to highlight the incredible and decent family man that we are learning about, and not the nameless unimportant elderly stranger his murderer thought him to be. Let’s flood our timelines with positive images of Mr. Godwin. I promise; looking at positive images and posts will help to elevate some of the negative emotions you might feel in regards to the situation.
- There’s nothing like a good social media challenge.
We’ve seen them. The social media challenges that go viral and become a part of our daily lives. The mannequin challenge, the so gone challenge and the you name it challenge. (I’ve got beans, greens, potatoes, tomatoes… you name it!) But have you heard of the optimistic challenge? The concept of this challenge is to dance to the song Optimistic by the soul group Sounds of Blackness. I posted a few of my favorite below. As you watch notice the unity and how much fun the participants are having. Also, listen carefully to the lyrics, “If things around you crumble, no you don’t have to stumble and fall. Keep pushing on and don’t you look back… as long as you keep your head to the sky, you can win”. Anyone watching can’t help but feel better than they did beforehand. Seriously, try watching a #optimisticchallenge without smiling.
The original optimistic challenge
Chance the Rapper Participates in the Optimistic Challenge
Miles Brown from Blackish and his father
- Create a positive social media space.
It’s unfortunate that it even has to be said, but social media should promote positive exchange. There is social media etiquette that some people don’t follow. This is especially true when it comes to delivering personal information such as the death of a loved one. (click here) I’m proud to say that I have awesome social media friends. Since the murder of Mr. Godwin, many of my friends have encouraged others (via their personal pages) to stop posting the video of the murder. Some have even threatened to unfriend those who share the video. You might ask, “Is it that serious”? I believe it is. As one of my Facebook friends put it, “you’re just as sick as the monster who committed that horrible crime” (speaking of those who share the video). I want to encourage you to clean out your “friends” on your social media outlets. Make space on your timeline for positive energy. Everyone isn’t meant to be your friend anyway. And, if by chance you don’t feel comfortable unfriending them, there are ways that you don’t have to see their posts. Unfollow a friend on Facebook without them knowing. Once you purge out the negative people you should feel as if you are coming home to a clean house after a long hard day at work. I don’t allow anyone in my house when it’s not clean. I don’t want people to think that I am comfortable with a messy home. I’m not. It’s embarrassing. You should feel the same way about your timeline, and the things posted to your wall. You should have peace when you log onto to your social media sites. If you feel anxious about logging on, then you need to clean house. You set the tone for how you want to feel when you log on and what you want to see. Remember that!
This won’t be the last time I will have to address a tragedy. But, I hope these types of posts become fewer and far between. Please know that my heart is heavy, and that I continue to pray for the family of Mr. Godwin. However, I’m not going to let my sadness turn into a depressive state. When you find yourself sinking at the thought of this senseless act, remember to immediately take charge of your emotions. Don’t give those negative thoughts a resting place. Let’s stay optimistic. And, as always, let’s press on together!