I know we all can agree on the observation that life is especially difficult right now. Pandemics, politics, natural disasters, social injustice, general un-ease about the future. I wonder though, will we look back on this time, say 20 years from now and say that it impacted or affected our lives long-term? Or is it just another hard period of time that rises up and falls away, giving way to the next wave of difficulty?
It seems like there is always a crisis looming or taking place or leaving us in its wake. Largely because the constant access to (biased) news, we are bombarded with sensationalized information dramatically delivered to induce as much anxiety as possible, or at least enough to keep you glued to your seat.
I had a conversation with my mom, who is 72 and watches way too much “news”), the other day. She was lamenting the fact that everything is crappy these days (except she didn’t say crappy… probably “crummy” or something). Then she follows with, “The only thing dad and I can take comfort in is that we’re old and won’t be around much longer… but we feel sorry for you and the grandkids.”
Hmmm. So the state of the world, of life, is such that an older person looks forward to being done with it, and feels sorry for those left to live it? That seems pretty dire.
And that started me thinking of all the other hard times people have had to endure. Last year, I wrote a post about how we can put things in perspective by looking back and realizing how much of history has been hard. The Great Depression and the Dust Bowl. Wars. The Holocaust. Natural disasters. Influenza outbreaks. Corrupt governments. Genocide. Scandals. Atomic Bombs. Those were hard. History is hard. Life is hard.
I’m not belittling my mom’s comment, or saying that we have it easy right now. But I think by looking back and looking around we can easily see that the theme of life on this planet is Difficulty and most of the plot lines depict evil and struggle and ugliness.
But we, the protagonists, of the story of life on this planet get to hold on and hopefully hope for more than an early out. If we are paying attention, we notice and acknowledge and celebrate the beauty that springs out of the desolate setting. We see (we are?) the hero or heroine who brings a bit of light to the scene and offers comfort to the suffering. We show love to someone in need.
There are lots of opportunities in this story of Difficulty to be the cause of someone’s smile, or the life-preserver in someone’s deep ocean. We may even experience unexpected joy or kindness bestowed on us on an otherwise mundane day. And that is what keeps us going and hoping. That time when we were growing up? That was hard. This time right now where it’s all uncertain and tangled up and scary? This is hard. Because life IS hard.
But to be so overwhelmed that we thank God we are almost done with it is not the answer. Ultimately, we must accept what is, and choose to see, and focus on, the smile, the light, and the love. Turning off the news is also a step in the right direction.
Yes, this is hard. But it’s always been hard. And there has always been and always will be love to get us through.
So true… “(biased) news, we are bombarded with sensationalized information dramatically delivered to induce as much anxiety as possible”. Like fricking crazy what they are pumping out and people are completely swallowing. I try to stay off the news sites don’t feel I need to be kept updated on that nonsense. For me, I’m trying to stay in the now because that’s all I have. To be present and tell my ego to shush and to drift down to my soul and see all the goodness around. It’s hard to catch that scaredy-cat ego, but I know it’s good work. I’ve been painting the outside of my house the last few weeks and I can see and hear a lot outside up on my ladder. I see the kids laughing and hauling down the hill on their bikes and then dump them scattered across the yard as they run into their house. I hear the two old retired guys chatting up going from one of their garages and walking over to the others garage. I see them jump in the truck and from what I can gather they were off to get fishing supplies. I waive at the mom on her bike towing her toddler behind her. I hear the orchestra of neighbor dogs crank it up as intruders come through the neighborhood and then go back to sleep as they completed their jobs. Standing on a 8ft ladder, that I borrowed from Buddha Pat from across the road, I smile at this life. It can indeed be crazy but there is such a special beauty to it if we allow ourselves to see what’s right in front of us.
I love this. Sometimes we need to physically put ourselves out there to be part of life. To be refreshed, reconnect or be of service. You have the magnify the good and try to leave all the shit in the background. It’s the only way to get through and get something out of it all. 💛🌟
Couldn’t agree more!
Loved reading this and the comments as well! So so true!
when someone attempts to share “news” with me, i usually politely ask them not to. They always look at me strangely – as though i have just asked them not to breath. I have been criticized for it most of my life( not keeping up on things) but i truly do not have a great interest in what is going on in the world – usually it’s nothing i can change anyway, and it just triggers negativity.
I have friends who do this with news. It wears me down. My mum was different. Never talked about the news. She would talk TV shows, talk football, talk movies. I know which one I would prefer. ❤️
She sounds like a wise woman!! ❤️