On the Value of Going Forward

Posted in a Facebook group of my airline colleagues dedicated to The Way FORWARD...

"When someone "lashes out", that action is the by-product of unresolved stress. We see it EVERYWHERE due to the pressures and anxieties of our fast-paced lives: at work, in our schools, at public events, and especially in social media, where relative anonymity often engenders a certain courage to act without fear of reprisal. At it's most benign, lashing out is an opine against whatever the stressor-of-the-day might be, at it's most malignant, it can have mortal consequences.

Think I'm exaggerating? Do you remember Columbine, Sandy Hook or any number of other school shootings?

The mission of our group, while actually somewhat more specific, is generally to aid in the relief of our work-related stresses and anxieties. By sharing, sometimes a common-sense approach to a day-to-day obstacle and other times our personal philosophy of life, we seek to help others to COPE with what we are all experiencing. Our approach is to bring what works for us to the group and take away what seems to work for others in an effort to do better, moving forward. We amplify the good around us and attempt to find solutions for the not-so-good. To be clear, even together, we don't have solutions for every problem.

Whenever a new member joins the group, s/he is directed to our mission, pinned at the top so that there is no question what we seek to do here. Each of us then carries the responsibility to help fulfill that mission. Some take a very active role in doing so. Others are more passive. Both are perfetly acceptable.

What is not acceptable, as has been voiced by the membership repeatedly, is the active contravention of others who are participating in our process. Disrespect, derision, belittling, dismissive comments are anathema to who and what we are. Venues where such are allowed or even encouraged are available but The Way FORWARD > > > > is not one of them.

On the other hand, if YOU are suffering from the stress and anxiety of a situation that the group might be willing and able to help you address, I encourage you to share it, either in the group setting or in a private message to any of the Administrators. We can be fairly resourceful and stand ready to support you.

What we have here is unique in social media. We are focused and caring and willing and determined and diverse and ready, oh so ready. And we aren't going anywhere except forward.

Are you?"