Words to live by from the outgoing Surgeon General of the United States — so inline with the message of Alliance President Casey Gwinn’s book — Cheering for the Children: Creating Pathways to HOPE for Children Exposed to Trauma. Thank you, General Murthy, for your service to our country.

Read the origional blog here…

President Trump just fired the Surgeon General Vivek Murthy. Dr. Murthy later posted some of his final thoughts on his Facebook page. These are words to live by, for anyone interested in ACEs and trauma.

  1. Kindness is more than a virtue. It is a source of strength. If we teach our children to be kind and remind each other of the same, we can live from a place of strength, not fear. I have seen this strength manifest every day in the words and actions of people all across our great nation. It is what gives me hope that we can heal during challenging times.
  2. We will only be successful in addressing addiction – and other illnesses – when we recognize the humanity within each of us. People are more than their disease. All of us are more than our worst mistakes. We must ensure our nation always reflects a fundamental value: every life matters.
  3. Healing happens when we are able to truly talk to and connect with each other. That means listening and understanding. It means assuming good, not the worst. It means pausing before we judge. Building a more connected America will require us to find new ways to talk to each other.
  4. The world is locked in a struggle between love and fear. Choose love. Always. It is the world’s oldest medicine. It is what we need to build a nation that is safe and strong for us and our children.