I was at a talk once where the speaker explained this reaction. He said that we have only evolved to the point of getting our news at the speed of a runner from village to village - meaning our brains have only evolved to handle bad news in small bits every few days at most. So now, with thousands of places to get information 24 hours a day, our poor brains don't know what to do. Especially mine.
After a few days of reeling from the tragedies around the world, I woke up with this song in my head. "Let there be peace on earth, and let it begin with me." It was a song from my youth that I hadn't thought about in years. The message was clear. I couldn't fix the world, but I could do small things to make the day better for someone else. Maybe a small act of kindness would be enough to be a turning point for them. And that could cause a chain reaction that could have far-flung effects. That calmed my worried mind.
So let there be peace on earth, and let it begin with me.
Let There Be Peace on Earth
by Sy Miller and Jill Jackson
Let there be peace on earth And let it begin with me Let There Be Peace on Earth The peace that was meant to be With God as our Father Brothers all are we Let me walk with my brother In perfect harmony. Let peace begin with me Let this be the moment now. With ev'ry step I take Let this be my solemn vow To take each moment and live Each moment in peace eternally Let there be peace on earth And let it begin with me
Yes, I'll join you in your wish for there to be peace on earth and letting it begin with me.
ReplyDeleteMany small drops will fill a bucket.
DeleteYou are so right. We are just overloaded and overstimulated on a daily basis. I can remember learning that song as a young girl in elementary school. When I start feeling overwhelmed, I remind myself that I can only do my part to make things better.
ReplyDeleteRealizing what our personal sphere of influence is and concentrating on that is the only way we can do things. That's what works for me, anyway.
DeleteI had to quit watching the news. There's nothing I can do about all the horrors and it kept me awake nights. I am happy bombs are not reigning down at random on us here where I live. I am happy I was able to go in and out of Walmart here three days ago and not be shot. I did think about it though. I am happy I got to see my family last Thursday. At night, with my book and my cats around me and the stars (if its not raining) visible through my window, there seems to be nothing wrong in the world at all.
ReplyDeleteYou paint a beautiful picture of your world at night. It's good when can notice and appreciate the every day around us.
DeleteI remember that song. The world does seem overwhelming at times , doesn't it? I mostly read the news online and if I start feeling depressed about it, that's my cue to back off for awhile. I find, as I get older, that I concentrate on what I have control over and try to give the rest of it to God. Still working on that one, but I'm making progress.
ReplyDeleteI know backing off from the news is what is necessary at times, but then I feel guilty because I'm not acknowledging the suffering of others as if it didn't exist. But me feeling guilty does nothing to help anyone else and hurts me, so I try to remember my sphere of influence, do what I can, and move on. Still working on that one, too.
DeleteI can't control the ills of the world, and now I limit my news to about 3 minutes a day of bullet points, preferring to read it rather than watch or listen to it.
ReplyDeleteAll I can do is act locally.
Yep. Charity begins at home.
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