We think too much and feel too little

" We think too much and feel too little."

During times of great crisis, civil unrest, and political instability; I continue to go back to Charlie Chaplin's Final Speech in the Great Dictator to remind me of where I stand and where we should all seek to stand.

I will and continue to stand with the innocent, the vulnerable, the disenfranchised, the marginalized, and the oppressed people of the world.

I will and continue to stand with the people of Ukraine.

While I am fortunate, thus far, to not have to live in a war-torn country; I am a daughter of parents who have lived and escaped the deadliest war in their homeland, Viet Nam.?

I continue to feel the pain of war in my Dad's eyes when he reflects about his days on the battlefield and the many years after, which he spent in his version of hell that many referred to as “re-education camp”.?

I continue to carry my Mom’s emotional and psychological scars of anguish and fear as she recalls how everything seemed to have been stripped from her and her family’s life in just one night.?

Thus, it echoed deep within me hearing Ukrainian President Zelenskyy's latest words on war:

"A lot of things are always lacking in war. But what is in abundance is pain, dirt, blood, and death."?

Through my parents and the many war survivors, I came to know and understand that war should never be the first, second, or 25th choice. It should be the absolute last choice. Because the effect of war is endless and lasting, it goes beyond the physical—the trauma caused by war is irreversibly deep and it’s generational. I still continue to feel and carry it with me through my parents’ eyes, words, and memories.

I continue to stand with the people of Ukraine.

All of us have the power to do something about the War in Ukraine—to put a stop to it. It starts with listening and paying attention; not to look away when it’s uncomfortable and when it hurts.?

As the wise Alice Walker once said:

“The most common way people give up their power is by thinking they don't have any.”

We do have the power. Do not give yours away easily.?

We exercise that power every time we express our opinion publicly; share our knowledge with another person who is less aware; when we buy or not buy certain products; when we click on a social media post telling others whether we like or dislike something; and when we choose to stay informed, engage, and care.

I am not a person who likes to pick a side. However, if I have to, I will and continue to choose:

• Love over hate
• Acceptance over intolerance
• Courage over fear
• Growth over destruction
• Honesty over silence
• Faith over despair
• Empathy over apathy

And humanity over comfort.

I stand with the people of Ukraine.

If you’re interested in joining me standing in solidarity with the people of Ukraine, please speak up and share any resources such as the one that I compiled with people around you. And together, we can help put a stop to Putin’s War and restore peace to our friends and family in Ukraine.