A fren reached out this week as one in the family was jabbed and seemed to have gotten a "bad batch". My advice was to "bracket" the situation around the relative issue:
- You: double down on self-care and activities that bring joy; start each day with making bed to put yourself in a position of empowerment rather than victimhood; cut loose ties that don't serve you and drain energy; deal with your own traumas and demons first.
- Your relative: know that they made their own choices and it was free will, even if lacking informed consent; don't torment yourself with possible bad futures that may never happen; unconditional love for person without condoning dumb acts.
- Wider world: accept things have a higher purse, even losses of loved ones; realise that the world to come may not suit everyone, and indeed those who naively trust authority may be a danger to others; stay focused on creating the world we want, and mindful of gains to come, as well as losses that present.