Can we stop normalizing the word “Happy”? Yesterday was Mother’s Day and everyone keeps saying “Happy Mother’s Day” but everyone I spoke to was everything but happy.
Truth be told, people are suffering. They are grieving over losses. They are suffering from the loss of their childhood, their childhood wounds, the wounds of abandonment, and the emotional abuse they endured as a child.
Parents are suffering in deep pain over the loss of their child due to suicide or a school shooting which is an epidemic. People of color, particularly our black brothers and sisters are suffering the loss of their children and fear every time their child walks out the door.
Generation X are grieving due to the recent loss of parents to the grave or parents declining health and they are emotionally and physically exhausted from taking care of them.
If you don’t agree or resonate with anything I’m saying then you may be part of the unresolved issue. But here is what happens when we normalize the word “happy”, it makes others feel alone. We look on social media to see everyone else is doing great but we are not so great so now we feel even more isolated, alone, and separated from the world. Isolation is a behavior and an indication that emotional health is declining.
We have a real life epidemic worse than COVID, it’s called debilitating mental health. Mental health issues is what’s really going on and if we are not going to contribute positively by supporting others directly then support indirectly by not normalizing the word “happy”. Acknowledge the majority are suffering and social media is a lie!
Maybe we need to change the words to “Here’s to Healing, or Thinking of You” for every occasion to acknowledge pain with compassion and empathy. To acknowledge empty seats and empty beds where loved ones ate and slept. Maybe we need to acknowledge that nobody is alone and whatever we are dealing with, it’s not “happy”.
Dealing to Healing 