Elon Musk and the Role of Guilt

About a week ago, Elon Musk made an appearance and spoke at Germany’s Alternative Für Deutschland election campaign event. This is Germany’s far-right party, and Musk is a big fan and supporter. During this event, he said the following:

 

“There is too much focus on past guilt, and we need to move beyond that,” 

“children should not be guilty of the sins of their parents, let alone their great grandparents”

 

These words were spoken two days before Holocaust Remembrance Day. Seemingly speaking about the Holocaust and atrocities committed against the Jewish people, I disagree with this perspective. Guilt and shame have an important part in helping us to become empathetic humans.

 

This is tricky territory. I am not talking about religious, familial, or cultural guilt that centers around things such as sexuality, adherence to strict behavioral rules, and fear of punishment. I know deeply this kind of shame. It becomes destructive and detrimental to mental health and well-being. It is not a place to wallow and build a home.

 

I am talking about a healthy amount of guilt and shame that leads to examination of wrongdoings, self-reflection, and a commitment to move forward in a different way.

 

When we skip the very real things that guilt has to teach us, we stuff down and bury important opportunities to grow and become more evolved and free people. Healthy guilt doesn’t lead to despair, it leads to liberation. I know this in my bones.

 

I am currently working on a book project that will explore my family’s Southern Baptist roots as well as participation in the enslavement of Black human beings. I have an African American coach who is helping me to delve deeply into how white folks’ discomfort with feeling any kind of shame or guilt around treatment of Black people historically and today is a stumbling block to liberation for all. I look forward to being challenged and pushed to go deeper here.

 

Intergenerational trauma and the field of epigenetics are also fascinating and hopeful to me. So much gets passed down silently yet efficiently.

 

Elon, I have something to say to you. Denial of past sins and wrongdoing is a pathway to a festering darkness and great pain. Othering only leads to deep suffering for victims and perpetrators. No, the German people whose great grandparents visited genocide and destruction upon Jewish humans do not need to be stuck and roll around in the atrocities of their ancestors. But if they just deny their heritage, they will never be free. If they don’t learn the devastating lessons of this period of history, they are most apt to repeat annihilation of “the other.” Right wing parties across the globe and right here at home are marching in this direction.

 

Invitation: I would love to use this space to lift up other voices in the coming months. If you have a story to share about how the recent administration change has harmed you, your family, your work place, your community, etc., and would like to write about this, shoot me an email at adoptinggrace2017@gmail.com and we can talk about whether it is a good fit for this space.

Sorry for the Hiccups or what happens when a 62 year old wades into technology

Hey all. It appears as though many of you were automatically signed up for my new substack without permission. My intent was to send you an invitation. Here is what I sent about a week ago:

If you are receiving this invitation, many years ago, you signed up to receive a newsletter or blog from me. At that time, I wrote a lot about parenting, a little about my spiritual journey, and it culminated in the release of my book, Adopting Grace: A Parenting Journey from Fear to Freedom. Thank you for your support.

Thanks for reading Tricia’s Substack! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.

That was seven years ago. Life has rolled on, much has happened in my life and that of my family. I continue to evolve and grow as a person, writer, and spiritual being. Also y’all, substacks are the new blogs! So here I am trying a new thing.

I know that my current writing will not appeal to all of those who followed me in the past. Please feel free to jump in or off of this space. I take neither choice personally. But I am flexing my writing muscles in a few current areas of my passions.

I have spent a great deal of time over the past several years digging into the genealogy of my Vick ancestors, our participation in enslavement, and what that means for my life today. I am a committed funder of social justice movement work and approach life with a lens of reparations in this broader sphere. I delight in sharing power and resources and time in this arena.

My mental health journey has continued and gotten more complicated at times. Rupture and repair are very much alive and well in my family relationships. I am most grateful to be experiencing the most joy, peace, and freedom of my 62 years on this planet. My spiritual practice is eclectic. After experiencing a great deal of hurt and suffering within the Evangelical church, I have come to a place of making peace with the pain, moving away from throwing this whole religion out, and being able to make progressive Christianity a part of my practice. It’s been quite a journey.

My politics are quite progressive in nature, and I will write from that perspective in this space. I am mourning on this Inauguration day. I also plan to put my head down, continue my self care and justice work, and live into joy as resistance.

I am working on a few larger projects that I will reveal in time. If you are interested, please follow me here. I hope to create website updates, occasional written content here, and live an abundant life. All are welcome to follow me… or not! May you be well. With much love and grace, Tricia

Thanks for reading Tricia’s Substack! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.

Also, those last words aren’t relevant. I am not trying to make money on this writing adventure. I thought I had clicked out of asking, but it appears that I did not.

I will continue to get to know this platform. I will also keep posting on my tricia-wilson.com blog. So, get off of both, subscribe to one, or email me at adoptinggrace2017@gmail.com if none of that works for you. I can also take you off of any lists.

I apologize for filling your inbox as I try to do a new thing. Be well. Tricia

New Year, New Thing

If you are receiving this invitation, many years ago, you signed up to receive a newsletter or blog from me. At that time, I wrote a lot about parenting, a little about my spiritual journey, and it culminated in the release of my book, Adopting Grace: A Parenting Journey from Fear to Freedom. Thank you for your support.

That was seven years ago. Life has rolled on, much has happened in my life and that of my family. I continue to evolve and grow as a person, writer, and spiritual being. Also y’all, substacks are the new blogs! So here I am trying a new thing.

I know that my current writing will not appeal to all of those who followed me in the past. Please feel free to jump in or off of this space. I take neither choice personally. But I am flexing my writing muscles in a few current areas of my passions.

I have spent a great deal of time over the past several years digging into the genealogy of my Vick ancestors, our participation in enslavement, and what that means for my life today. I am a committed funder of social justice movement work and approach life with a lens of reparations in this broader sphere. I delight in sharing power and resources and time in this arena.

My mental health journey has continued and gotten more complicated at times. Rupture and repair are very much alive and well in my family relationships. I am most grateful to be experiencing the most joy, peace, and freedom of my 62 years on this planet. My spiritual practice is eclectic. After experiencing a great deal of hurt and suffering within the Evangelical church, I have come to a place of making peace with the pain, moving away from throwing this whole religion out, and being able to make progressive Christianity a part of my practice. It’s been quite a journey.

My politics are quite progressive in nature, and I will write from that perspective in this space. I am mourning on this Inauguration day. I also plan to put my head down, continue my self care and justice work, and live into joy as resistance.

I am working on a few larger projects that I will reveal in time. If you are interested, please follow me here. I hope to create website updates, occasional written content here, and live an abundant life. All are welcome to follow me… or not! May you be well. With much love and grace, Tricia

If you want to subscribe to my new substack, click here.

A 500 Hour Milestone

Even before the state of North Carolina required 60 hours of driving with a parent before a teenager can get their driver’s license, Mark Wilson had a different standard - one hundred hours behind the wheel. Mark and I have supervised each of our five children and together have logged over 500 hours. Today, our youngest child got her license. This rite of passage didn’t seem quite right as there was no road test due to the pandemic. She will get to do that on another day.

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Sitting in the passenger seat as a child learns to drive brings up all kinds of thoughts and feelings. How did he/she get here so fast? Are my nerves going to make it through this stage of parenthood? Should we consider getting one of those Driver’s Ed cars that has a brake on the passenger side?? This position has also allowed me lots and lots of mindfulness and breathing practice. And more than one heated parent/child exchange…

Though it is often a logistical relief to have a teenager who can drive, it is also a big lesson in letting go. As we send this last teen driver out into the streets on her own, I will practice deep breathing and prayer as I wait at home for her to return. I would love to hear your experience and stories of teaching someone to drive.