I had never envisioned writing a personal message to you, our congregants of Shir Shalom. Just like you, I am terribly troubled and feel helpless with such a tragedy right in our own city.
The people living in the targeted community are decent, hardworking, caring individuals whose lives were enriched as they in turn enriched the lives of others. I have a personal insight into many of the people in this Buffalo Community. Before I sold my Nursing Agencies, I learned of the struggles the people in this part of Buffalo faced daily. I had employed a number of these
hard working, loving, compassionate people in my agencies as nurses and nurse’s aides. So many were also my patients I had visited frequently despite being told it was not my job as Executive Director to do so. I needed to meet them all.
For 29 years I learned about this community, its passion for Buffalo and its need to serve others less fortunate. They deserved more recognition than they received. Many of them were single mothers whose inadequate daycare left them jobless because of their inability to work on a routine basis. I felt for these women and offered them access to quality daycare, as well as flexible schedules to ensure their families were well taken care of while they worked in the healthcare field. I always had to let them know from the onset of their working with me (I never would say” for me”) their family came first, especially their children. I was blessed with these compassionate women and men, watched them grow professionally and watched their children marry and have families of their own.
My point is, they gave back to me tenfold and appreciated every opportunity they were given. I was different, they would tell me. I should not have been different. Everyone should treat all people the way they would expect to be treated themselves. Equal! Unfortunately, the mass murder at Tops reminds me of the wonderful people I had grown to love and the hurt and fear they must be feeling as they were just “trying to live their lives “. We need to try harder. We cannot look away this time and just hope better gun laws will be passed and occasional monitoring of social media will reveal these doctrines filled with hate and venom. Seeing the anguished faces of the people in this community has affected me deeply. This time, though, I cannot dispel their fears. I used to spend hours consoling my “sisters“ and guiding them as they faced their own unique daily challenges, or lend them money for a crib or groceries, or a new bicycle as they were always one paycheck short. And yes, they all paid me back and appreciated their “Miss Sheila“ by doing their very best caring for my patients and being positive, motivating mentors for their peers. All I could do for them now is pray.
I hope we all become more vigilant and reactive should we see, hear, or read something on social media. We need each other. We need to contribute, to sustain and include all communities by offering whatever assistance we can; sometimes just a smile and being the one to initiate” hello, how are you“ could make someone’s day. I do miss my advocacy abilities through my health care companies. Being supportive of my patients, nurses and aides is still a large part of who I am today, although the scenery for me has changed quite a bit in the last ten years. I still am hopeful through our community awareness and dedication, Congregation Shir Shalom remains a lighthouse filled with compassion and a safe harbor for us all to extend our light and brighten these forgotten communities who will always need our help Our love and compassion.
Shabbat Shalom,
Sheila Bernard Tucker