Shalom

I’m taking a deep dive into narrative therapy this Fall, and by no accident, our coursework began with a definition of Shalom, the Hebrew word for peace. When/where in our lives is shalom shattered, sought, and restored (stories of tragedy and trauma)? When news of Israel being attacked broke out, I immediately thought about this important word borrowed from Hebrew culture. Shalom is not a temporary or fake peace built on the backs of the oppressed (ie I got mine!); in contrast, true peace is a wholeness redeemed from fracture and a wellness that heals not only individuals but redeems a collective. While we weep and pray for those being ravaged overseas by war, I also hope to assist clients in seeking peace after stories of tragedy and trauma in their own lives here. How can we pursue shalom and wholeness amidst our own fragments today?