Reflections on Recent Events

First, I want to reiterate to all of our HH friends that we are here to celebrate and support you and your family's military journey, no matter what branch of service you're affiliated with, how much experience you have with deployments, what your political views are ... or what color your skin is. We've got nothing but love for all of our HH friends. 💛

OK, so this is a post I never thought I would be writing, but here we are.... 

The world has been dark lately. From COVID-19, with over 100,000 American deaths and so many Americans out of work, scared, and struggling, to the most recent unjust murder of an innocent American and the chaos and destruction that has followed. It’s heavy. It’s dark. It’s scary. It’s sad.

I don't like to post on controversial topics, but I also think those with a platform should use it to re-enforce positivity, support, and love right now. Granted, my platform is rather small, it's still a platform. I've been sitting with my thoughts the last week+, listening, watching, reflecting, and while I'm not sure I have the right words to say, I hope sharing some of my thoughts is better than staying quiet.  

I am a blonde, white, female business owner. Over the years I have been mis-judged and stereotyped, but I can’t even pretend to know what being a victim of racism or extreme discrimination is like.  I’ve never understood racism - as in, I don’t understand how someone can think a skin color equates to a more privileged human or a lesser human and/or a reason to treat someone cruelly. It truly baffles me. 

I’m lucky to have had family members, friends, classmates, neighbors, roommates, and coworkers of all backgrounds, descending from all around the world, speaking a range of languages, and of all skin colors. It breaks my heart to think about what some of these people I know and love have had to face in their lifetime, just because they were ‘different’ in some way. 

Our Black community needs extra love right now as they voice the need for equality ... equality that they should have always had. Let’s listen. Let’s embrace them as they share their pain. Let’s be better. We all have something to learn from what we are going thru/witnessing ... myself included. But it’s not just the Black community; racism and discrimination exists towards people of all ethnic backgrounds, languages, and skin colors. There are so many colors of skin around the world, and they’re all BEAUTIFUL. We may all look different, but we are all EQUAL. 👋🏻👋🏼👋🏽👋🏾👋🏿

What happened last week to Mr. Floyd was awful. The destruction, chaos, and violence that has followed is also awful. We all know two wrongs don't make a right, especially when those acts of retaliation claim even more lives. 

Peaceful protests can be a beautiful thing ... riots and destruction don't benefit anyone. 

Perhaps things were calmer where you live, but here in the PNW it was tense. It was sad watching buildings be vandalized, businesses destroyed, stores looted, and cars burned on our local news this weekend (note: it was not the peaceful protestors causing damage, a second group came in rioting after the peaceful protests and caused the damage); thankfully the protests this week have been calmer. But there’s still a lot of negativity on the streets all across our country; a lot needs to change, there is no doubt about that. But there are far more good people out there than there are bad. There are a lot of people who want change. There are a lot of people who believe we are all equal. And I’d like to believe good will persevere. I have faith in humanity.

I sympathize for the families who have lost a loved one (presumably) because of their skin color, and anyone who has been a victim of racism. I’m sorry. I will never fully understand what you’ve gone through, but I’m sorry. You have my love. 💛

I also remain grateful for our law enforcement and first responders, including police, sheriffs, SWAT, National Guard, and the firefighters who are on the streets doing their jobs amidst the chaos, questionable leadership, peaceful protests, people not social distancing and the risk of spreading COVID-19, and the rioters on a mission to cause destruction. They all still put on their uniform and go to work every day knowing it’s going to be a hard shift.

Our country is so divided right now and it’s sad. And add these tensions to the already delicate state of our country from COVID-19, and it’s just a lot. At the end of the day, I’m heartbroken for what our country is going through, but I’m still grateful to be an American. 🇺🇸 

It’s hard to find a lot of positives right now. But, that doesn’t mean we need to give up hope for the future. #BetterDaysAreComing

So, to all of our HH friends & your families, to those participating in peaceful protests, to the Black community, to our law enforcement, and our first responders across the country: we hope you stay safe and healthy!

💛 -Darla