Community or mugging finale

Since I wasn’t shot, and only out a few bucks and a mobile phone when I was mugged at gunpoint recently, I thought I was pretty lucky, and that the whole thing wasn’t that big a deal.

However, for two weeks afterwards, I was frightened of almost everything. I rarely slept or left my home, I became manic, and I stayed up for days writing and sending newsletters while feeling ashamed of the mania.

The lack of sleep combined with the frantic writing was how I knew that the mugging had been a significant violation and frightening event. My readers know I’m a wee “touched” creatively, and don’t even blink when I knock out a month’s worth of writing in a few hours. They (you) responded with wonderfully supportive e-mails that I believe significantly contributed to my healing process. Dear friends also called, and one particular angel actually brought me meals made from vegetables she’d grown in her yard, and called me daily to check in on me.

One of my associates, Connie Schuster, founder and director of Artists for Recovery, a Philadelphia-based nonprofit, strongly believes — and has witnessed through her work — that emotional support heals mental disorders. From personal experience, I can now firmly agree.

In some African cultures, when a person was not well, their entire community would dance until the person recovered. (I like to think the folks got well so the dancers could rest!)

We live in a culture where community support for individuals is hard to find. In other cultures, community support is more prevalent. (We know that the Japanese have no nursing homes. When was the last time you saw a homeless Asian person in America?) Let’s learn from other cultures how to care for our elders, the sick and emotionally traumatized community members in need.

I feel blessed to have people in my life — including strangers — who think about these things, and who supported me until I bounced back to the wacky, happy, balanced writing chick you have before you today.

Tips for ye olde street safety:
1. Be aware of your surroundings at all times. Look around all the time, kinda like you’re paranoid. It can’t hurt.
2. Maintain your personal space. If someone walks too closely to you and you feel nervous, move away and don’t worry about hurting anyone’s feelings.
3. Sharpen, trust and use your instincts. If someone gives you an odd vibe, don’t spend precious time analyzing why. Move away and prepare yourself for whatever may occur.
4. Take street awareness/self-defense classes to learn about mace use, physical self-defense and whether or not you’d like to start packin’ some heat.
5. Set your mobile phone to require a PIN (personal identification number or password) for use, and turn the phone off every time you’re in transit. That way, no one can use your phone if it’s lost or stolen.
6. Walk around with your real wallet, but take out things you don’t really need for the particular trip. Put some filler and a couple bucks in a fake wallet, and be prepared to pull that out if necessary.

Expect safety and most likely you will be safe.

Cassendre Xavier’s seventh CD “Live at Tin Angel” is available at iTunes, and her new book “Artist Inspirational Journal” is due this summer at www.cassendrexavier.com.