This weekend we went to an Indiana State Park to relax and unwind from the week. We got out of the van and headed toward the tower. As I finished climbing the last set of stairs leading to the lookout at the top of the tower, I felt this calm breeze against my body and with little effort was able to take in a deep slow breath of “everything” and exhaled out a slow deep breath of “nothing.” I was relaxed.

About two minuets later though Michelle* asked Sarah*, other residents standing next to me, asked “Is that the Nazi sign?” Sarah responded, “It sure looks like it.”  Michelle then asked me “That’s the Nazi sign isn’t it?” My response was only an angry “Yes.”

Oddly enough all the grass beside the symbol was green and alive, yet the grass of the symbol was brown and dead, as if the person drew the sign onto the ground by using weed killer as their pencil.  Honestly, I was taken aback and speechless, a view that just a second ago spoke of calmness and tranquility had became a view that loudly spoke of discrimination and racism. Discrimination and racism that our society has tried so hard to deny as being part of the past and not the present, while examples like this strikingly show it’s still active and alive. But of all places why would someone willingly, and blatantly, choose to make this hateful statement at a state park? Where kids should be able to laugh about silly things, play on the playground, picnic with their families, kayak on the lake, play catch, throw a football and other activities remind adults of times when life was simpler?  Why take those opportunities away from children by invading their space with discrimination and racism, a social issue that already often surrounds them at school, home, or on the streets?  Isn’t it hard enough for students, and not just “those other students,” to have to put up with discrimination at school by both peers and even teachers?

Then some return home to an environment that’s emotionally or physically unsafe?

It seems with our materialistic and time-oriented society that kids are being forced to grow up while their bodies and minds are still actively forming and developing. I wonder what it will take for us, society, to realize that a 10 year old boy/girl is just that, a 10 year old boy/girl.

- Not a parent of their parents,

- not victims of racism and discrimination (in an ideal world),

- not having to work and worry about helping mom and dad pay the bills

- not having to have their identity from the streets,

- not having to fear where food is going to come from the next day…you get the idea.

After this brief discussion I was curious to research where the swastika originated from. It turns out the swastika is the oldest known symbol that has been used for over 3000 years, with artifacts, such as pottery and coins from the ancient Troy, showing that the Swastika was a commonly used symbol as far back as 1000 BCE. Here are a few excerpts that I found interesting.

Original meaning:

The word “swastika” comes from the Sanskrit svastika- “su” meaning “good,” “asti meaning “to be” and “ka” as gift.  Until the Nazis used this symbol, the swastika was used by many cultures to represent life, sun, power, strength, and good luck.

What does the Swastika mean now?

“There is a great debate as to what the swastika means now. For 3,000 years, the swastika meant life and good luck. But because of the Nazis, it has also taken on a meaning of death and hate.

These conflicting meanings are causing problems in today’s society. For Buddhists and Hindus, the swastika is a very religious symbol that is commonly used. Chirag Badlani shares a story about one time when he went to make some photocopies of some Hindu Gods for his temple. While standing in line to pay for the photocopies, some people behind him in line noticed that one of the pictures had a swastika. They called him a Nazi.

Unfortunately, the Nazis were so effective at their use of the swastika emblem, that many do not even know any other meaning for the swastika. Can there be two completely opposite meanings for one symbol?” (http://history1900s.about.com/cs/swastika/a/swastikahistory.htm)

As I read the article with the above excerpt I was shocked at how a symbol that was created over 3,000 years ago to represent light and peace has transformed into a symbol in today’s society that represents racism and death.  Aren’t there enough words in Webster’s Dictionary, and in our everyday language, that are degrading to others? Why do we need to add to these words instead of creating words that portray the original meaning of the Swastika?

-Kelly

*names were changed to protect their privacy

Dear Friends,

Today I want to feature Elizabeth, a good friend and AFH resident that will be graduating this evening. I asked her if she would be willing to be interviewed for the blog, and she graciously agreed. Below are my questions, with her responses in bold.

Q:  You’re graduating today. Looking back, were there ever times you thought you might not? If so, what got you through those times?

Looking back at my time at AFH, there were some times when I thought I was going to give up and go home. Surprisingly, more in months seven through nine. During this time span, I was doing fairly well with my issues and it was becoming harder and harder to comply with the rules.  Not being able to go on walks for as long as I wanted, and not being allowed to have scissors in my room seemed stupid to me.  I knew I wasn’t going to do anything to harm myself and I was frustrated with having to comply with all the rules.  Coming to AFH and having to not only give up all my unhealthy coping skills, but almost all of my control, is one of the hardest things I’ve had to do.  One can only last so long before they start to go crazy having to show respect to staff at all times and such. (continue reading…)

Dear Friends,

We finished up our Anger and Forgiveness group this past week. I have been very blessed over the past few years in that the Lord has given me the grace to truly and tangibly experience His love and mercy. That experience has spilled over into other areas of my life, including being able to make peace with my past and really begin to like myself–not because I am extraordinarily special (any more than anyone else) or because I am achieving any particularly great feats. Instead, it is because I have finally stopped struggling against God. I have given up trying to do it my way. My way has never worked in the long term. It barely worked at all in the short term. I used just about every unhealthy coping skill imaginable to deal with the pain I felt, from disordered eating to self-injury to substance abuse to unhealthy romantic relationships… the list goes on. (continue reading…)