By: Meghana Nakkanti
The past few months have been impossibly hard to deal with. Opening up Instagram, the news, or any other website has just been tragedy after tragedy. At some point, I couldn’t handle it anymore. I longed for the times when the biggest drama was some YouTuber feud. Mental health is extremely important too. I can still advocate for important causes and stay informed. Taking a break from the news was the best step for me to grow.
It’s so easy to get caught up in insignificant things that have little value or think too far in advance. There will always be uncertainty and doubt, especially when being bombarded with messages of tragedy and pain. Seeing the light in life is extremely important. Find ways to listen and understand. Always speaking is dangerous.
This idea got me thinking about how often I assume I know the whole story. I think I know how something feels. Maybe I am positive about my abilities to understand a complex topic. The reason that many activists don’t get acknowledged is because they’re always talking. Listening is important too. But how often do I listen to people who oppose my views? Hardly ever on purpose. It’s easier to agree than to have those difficult conversations. I get outraged at those who speak hate but never take a moment to consider why they might feel that way. Of course, for me, there’s always one right answer. With racial justice, there is one right answer. Perspective is everything. What seems normal to me is not normal to others. I believe in empathy and compassion.
The two days that I stepped back were two days that I realized how many mistakes I was making. Instead of listening and learning, I was just talking. I also didn’t understand the importance of taking a break to reflect. There is no point in absorbing a ton of information if I don’t learn anything from it.
If you need a break from the news, that’s okay. Take that time to learn and reflect, and have some fun! Even if a headline or two passes, you can still be informed. Society needs to stop shaming those who need to step back and start using empathy and compassion.
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