I have a routine. Every morning, I have breakfast while I watch one of the morning news shows. Usually, I have the sound off and just read the crawlers to get an overview of what's happening in the world. Occasionally, I listen to a whole story or go online to find out more details. But mostly, the headlines are all that I can handle. It's hard to process all the reported tragedies in the world, whether they are caused by man or nature.
I read once that it is normal to be overwhelmed with the amount of bad news we are exposed to these days. At one point, news traveled by messenger on foot from village to village, and it would sometimes take days to arrive. Biologically, our brains have not evolved much past that stage. So, of course, it's easy to be overwhelmed by the constant barrage of news available today. (And I won't even talk about the misinformation and bias that we have to sort through.)
I can occasionally do something to help in a bad situation that I see on the news, such as donating to an organization with feet on the ground, but mostly, the best I can do is fret. So how do I handle this situation? I must admit that my first coping mechanism is to bury my head in the sand and not focus on the world's problems. I am a fairly empathetic person, so this is easier said than done.
But mostly, I think about what I can do to make the day better for those around me, hoping for a ripple effect. Maybe one of those ripples will reach someone I don't know. I start with little things. I try to make eye contact, smile, and say hi to the people I meet.* Included with is idea is to be polite and respectful to any service people who help me. I also offer to reach things (my long arms come in handy sometimes) or carry items for people. Simple things that most of us do but are usually appreciated. I know I appreciate these gestures.
This all comes down to kindness which happens to be the focus this summer at work. Next time, I'll tell you a bit about that. And speaking of work, I better stop now so I won't be late.
Until next time...
*Disclaimer here. I know eye contact is not the respectful thing to do in some cultures, and if you're from a big city, you might find it odd if a stranger said hi to you. I had a friend who came to this country for college and was very confused about why people said hi to her when they didn't know her. Anyway, I try to read the situation as best I can and act accordingly.
I an a self-proclaimed news junkie! I like to find out what goes on in the world and would like to find out sooner rather than later, even if there is usually nothing I can do about the situation. But, in a world where so many of the newsmakers seem to show a remarkable lack of kindness in their speech and actions, I appreciate the fact that you try to be kind to others as you go about your day. I hope that you, too, are treated with kindness in return.
ReplyDeleteI find most people are kind and if they aren't, I figure that they have something else going on that is stressing them.
DeleteMaybe you should do a news digest for the rest of us who aren't news junkies. :)
Like you, I find the news to be overwhelming at times. I read it online rather than watching it on tv, which I find helpful in terms of sorting through hype vs fact. I try to offer a prayer in distressing situations (when I remember ... ) and I find that this practice helps me to remember to control what I can control and give the rest to God. Sometimes I need reminders that my worrying won't change anything. :)
ReplyDeletePrayer is a valuable tool, no matter what kind of prayer you do. I have to remind myself that I can't save the world. And then figure out what I can do. And as I said, I start with simple kindness around me. I think it benefits everyone. When I am smiling or having a positive interaction with someone, I feel better and am more focused on the moment than worrying about the future of the world.
DeleteI like your approach to new consumption. I've learned I have to limit mine, too. I try to skim headlines sometime in the middle of the day so they don't set the mood for my whole day and so I don't stew over them when I'm trying to go to sleep.
ReplyDeleteI like your approach of the kindness ripple. It's amazing the how big of an effect something so small can have. I've been feeling very self-conscious about my weight lately and yesterday when I got home one of the neighbor kids told me they liked my dress and that it looked very nice on me. They probably don't even remember that this morning, but I do, and it made me feel a lot better.
I also have long arms and have been in a position to reach a lot of things for people. Grocery stores are definitely designed more for those of us with longer arms.
While big gestures are wonderful, I think it's the little things that truly make a difference in our every day life. You must have looked great in that dress for a kid to notice and comment. If it were me, I'd be looking for more like it. :)
DeleteI like the sound of silence!
ReplyDeleteYes, and the Simon and Garfunkel song, too.
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