TIKKUN OLAM.

Michelle Gallagher
May 10
5 min read

Updated: May 11

Tikkun Olam, repairing the world/creation. It was the message Mr. Rogers, the Presbyterian Minister turned TV star, came out of retirement with, to help us repair ‘the brokenness’ after September 11th.

“When I was a boy,” he recalled, “and I would see scary things in the news, MY MOTHER would say to me, ‘Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.” I could cite at least a dozen more profound statements or moments from the film but I’d much rather talk about it, as gospel. How that profound seed his MOTHER planted, made him who he was.

With clients, I’m experiencing their anxiety about the future along with hopelessness or depression. This is not new. In fact, it's more so now. I listen to stories of people who've drawn hard lines with others because of religious and political views and honestly, so have I. Our the current state of social and political polarization is always in the balance it seems.

“Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.” The sentiment echoes when I find myself going down a rabbit hole of despair after four seconds on Insta or listening to the latest episode of Rachel Maddow. I’ve always been taught, since I first leaned into my spiritual journey that being of service, to be a helper was a path to the souls transformation. So beyond seeing clients, how else could I possibly help? Where could I be of service and set an example? How best can I lean into repairing the brokenness? Somedays are harder than others.

Smiling. Where I live, I know most everyone. But I take the time to greet tourists I meet with a smile. It doesn’t cost anything, takes seconds to make a connection. There are days when grief and depression make it hard but if I force a smile the return can snap me out of a spiral.

Acknowledge The Name Tag. In the presence of a customer service representative perhaps in the checkout line at Giant, I'll make a point of saying their name and asking how their day is. Try it.

More Time With Friends & Family Without Technology. This speaks for itself. Don’t forget to insert eye contact and real time responses without looking up anything on your phone.

It's challenging.

Printing (& Sharing) Real Photos. Access to actual pictures to touch & to tell the story of of the experience, the moment! Whoa. Giving photos as gifts to family seems slightly retro but the results are amazing. (FreePrints is an amazing app!) More music, less news. If you have a tendency to listen to news more than 20 mins a day, consider adding more music and or comedy as a remedy or balancing ear balm. Also, sharing playlists and songs with friends, lovers, coworkers is a way to connect that is hopeful and magic. Shaking your A$$ alone in your bedroom with a hair brush or around the water cooler is a great way to physically remove stress in a fun and fast manner.

Using Technology As A Sphere of Influence & Not Letting It Use Me. Before, during & after the 2016 election, I edited my friend list on Facebook & Insta really hard. Discussing this with my late friend Tommy Page

at the time, he offered the advice

to not delete or ghost out on anyone ever again because not only do you not know what those people are going through but you also don’t know when you are going to run into them again because it’s a small, small, world. Mic drop. I wish I could've remained steadfast in Tommys words. He was radically inclusive. Just a lovely heart and soul. But I’ve often let my emotions get too hot and the better of me. When I'm faced with the pangs of deleting my Aunt who posts racist comments, I recall Tommys words and also an Arabic proverb to help me reign my mouth and more importantly my thumbs; Is it kind? Is it necessary? Is it true? If the answer was no to any of those questions it won’t leave my lips or my fingertips.

AGAIN....a work in progress.

Not choosing to engage in meaningless arguments = more peace. I’ve taken it a step further to reach out to people not by liking a status, but by sending a small message of gratitude for how they’ve positively affected my life or just to check in and see how they are doing. Microaggressions contained. The path for peace, open, flowing.

Continued Learning. The more you know, THE MORE you know! Don't ever stop expanding your capacity for knowing because we are always seeing in real time what ignorance can and will do to NOT forward our humanity in a direction that is cohesive and forward thinking. To deepen my knowledge and human to healing connection I'm tackeling Reiki and ASL.

Deepening the spiritual practice. Connection, prayer, ritual at the forefront of the day so that being a helper to my neighbors stays a priority now more than ever. Burning candles with intention, and praying, call on my guides, Goddesses and guardians to assist with whatever I’m working on and to help me perform miracles for my clients, neighbors and beyond. While the world falls apart, I realize now more than ever that we have every opportunity with every choice we make during our daily routines to be helpers, to repair the brokenness where we are called and where we can. Finally, Seeing through the eyes of my child. It’s been eight years since I first wrote this. My daughter is now 18. I've lost friends/neighbors to political and spiritual warfare and then some. When I get caught up in how badly adults are behaving, I often sink into my breath and think about my daughter. What excites her? What does she hope for? How best can we both create together? For the future?

Final thoughts...

Things are wildly insance. Where can you drop your need to be right to let more peace into your life?Have you looked at the world through your childs or A childs eyes recently?

What about seeing the world through your eyes at 4, 8 or 12?

Finally and this one is important, how are you creating your legacy?

This is something very soul worthy to consider in your days and moments ahead.

Thank you so much for being here for my