Today is October 7th, 2024, and our communities on campus have been in a year of mourning, grief, and sorrow. Naming our sorrow feels at once critically important, and, paradoxically, like it tips us into recognizing that it all has been too much. In this year of witness, we pronounce that it has indeed been too much. There has been too much horror, and too much pain in this world. We also pronounce that there are ways to hold this sorrow, and we are not holding it alone.
On this difficult anniversary, we invite you to honor the grief that you have been carrying. Whether with loved ones or on your own, we invite you to share an intentional, dedicated holding of sorrow through shared breath, lit candles, prayer, or slow moments outside. And if the naming feels like too much, remember that when words fail us, silence allows us to pause, to mourn, to lament, and to support one another.
May our mourning expand our courage and capacity to love each other. May the horror cease. May grief make way for peace.
If you are looking for a companion as you process and move through this time, know that we, as your chaplains, are here. Reach out or stop by our office anytime.