{"id":1292,"date":"2013-11-18T03:07:17","date_gmt":"2013-11-18T03:07:17","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.beliefnet.com\/areasontosmile\/?p=1292"},"modified":"2013-11-18T03:07:17","modified_gmt":"2013-11-18T03:07:17","slug":"good-news-for-tough-times","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/areasontosmile\/2013\/11\/good-news-for-tough-times.html","title":{"rendered":"Good news for tough times"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"It's<\/a>
It’s a beautiful day in the neighborhood….<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u201cWhen I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, “Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.\u201d
\n\u2015 Fred Rogers<\/p>\n

It\u2019s easy to start feeling more than a little overwhelmed by all the terrible things we see in the world. Everywhere we look, there seems to be stories about wars, natural disasters, crime, and how the world is generally going to hell. Things are worse than ever\u2026right?<\/p>\n

No.<\/p>\n

I have some ideas I\u2019d like you to try on: Maybe the world isn\u2019t getting any worse; maybe it is how it\u2019s always been. Think about the vague claims about how cancer rates are going up, when maybe just cancer *diagnosis* rates are going up. I remember when I was young it was very common to just say that Uncle So-and-So just got old and died. Now we know exactly what is going on with all of us. Consider, in the past it would have taken months, possibly years, for news of the storms in the Philippines to reach the world. Now we hear about it even before the storm hits.<\/p>\n

Which leads to the second point: Right after a disaster like this hits, what happens next? A spontaneous outpouring of support from all over the world; millions of dollars and tons of supplies get donated. When you see a car wreck, a house on fire, a crazed gunman, or any of the other things that get hyped by the media, what else do you see? People, ordinary citizens, rushing to do something to help their fellow human beings.<\/p>\n

Which brings me to the final point: It\u2019s true that the media has a vested interest terrifying us; after all, if it bleeds, it leads. Bad news gets people\u2019s attention\u2026but maybe it gets our attention *because* it is so alien to us. Maybe the real reason all the wonderful things we do for each other, all the kind, selfless acts human beings do on a daily basis aren\u2019t news, is because on an instinctual level, it\u2019s what we expect. Don\u2019t get me wrong, we all fall short from time to time, and may not always treat each other the way that we should, but deep down inside we all understand that hurting one another isn\u2019t natural.<\/p>\n

So sometimes we may lose track of how good this world really is, and especially how sweet this life is. And if you don\u2019t believe that, stop by a hospital intensive care unit or a prison and see how precious our health and freedom really are. Resolve now to keep your light shining, and live as a reminder of just how blessed we all really are, just to be alive.<\/p>\n

After all\u2026world peace is up to you<\/a>!<\/p>\n

What do you think? Feel free to comment down below!<\/p>\n

You are great, and I love you!
\nAnd if you love me back, click ‘share’ up at the top!<\/p>\n

B. Dave Walters Writer, Life Coach, and Talk Radio Host<\/p>\n

Find out more about me:\u00a0http:\/\/about.me\/BDaveWalters<\/a><\/p>\n

Ask me anything:\u00a0http:\/\/formspring.me\/BDaveWalters<\/a><\/p>\n

Pages I support:
\nJesus and Buddha<\/a>\u00a0— Interfaith dialog<\/p>\n

Gnostic Theism<\/a>\u00a0— Religion and Spirituality for the 21st Century (Join the Movement!)<\/p>\n

Love One Another<\/a>\u00a0— A group for the coolest Spiritual people on the Internet!<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>\"\"<\/a>\"\"<\/a>\u00a0\"\"<\/a>\"\"<\/a>\"\"<\/a>\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

\u201cWhen I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, “Look for the helpers. 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