Hello everyone, I hope all is well with you. I’m back today after a week of writing, work, and running. We went up north for a weekend escape, and the leaves are already starting to turn. It was a relaxing weekend. But enough about that.
Photo credit: SolanoSnapper on Visualhunt.com
Today, I want to piggyback off last week’s post about the mass shootings. In that post, I stated that disconnection is one of the underlying causes of mass shootings. So, in today’s post, I want to address this. I’ve noticed the trend of the age of our shooters is on the decline. Meaning the shooters are getting younger and younger. Our babies are shooting up schools. Like I said before, disconnection is one of the main causes of mass shootings. I believe one way to fight against disconnection is to bring back third spaces. What are third spaces?
Third spaces are places in your community where people can gather and combat loneliness and disconnection. Examples of third spaces include cafes, community centers, libraries, and parks. When I was little, I would stay with my grandparents for a couple of weeks. My cousin and I would go to the park by their house, and they had a place where we could play games like Chutes and Ladders, Checker, and Monopoly. We also play on the playground equipment or play basketball. We loved going to that park.
Now I know most shooters are older than I was at that age, but isn’t that where it starts? In our communities. We need places where teens can hang out. They are few and far between. I remember when I was in school, the hang out place was a park. We need libraries and community centers and places to play pickle ball and pick up basketball games. These areas are dwindling, and it has had a negative effect on our young people.
So how do we bring back third spaces? Any ideas? Leave a comment! I’d love to hear from you!
