i was watching the news before work yesterday morning and felt so sick and sad by the time i had to leave. sick of bad news, sick of conflict, sick of spills, sick of problems, sick of heartache that follows all those news stories. i remember when i was in high school, in an english class with coach richards. he made us watch the news and comment on it. he was an intimidating man, but i felt compelled to tell him my reaction to his assignment. i recall feeling nervous about speaking my mind but i raised my hand anyway. i told him i didn't like to watch the news as it all felt so depressing and disheartening. much to my surprise he agreed with me (and suggested keeping the sound down until the end when usually they would include some uplifting human interest piece). i still feel the same about the news. i know it is important to be informed but sometimes it just all feels so heavy, sad, and hopeless. i felt this way after watching all the coverage on the oil spill.
but then yesterday evening, a simple but sweet moment occurred and i found it really touching in the most human of ways and with such a heartfelt connection. there is a man in our neighborhood, who is severely affected from a stroke. every evening a caregiver pushes him down the street in his wheelchair. he leans over the side, sometimes expressionless, sometimes with a glimpse of reaching out for a connection. last night, i heard a harmonica (just random notes much the way a child would play). i looked out the window to see the man being wheeled by and playing the harmonica. the light was golden and beautiful and i felt such a sense of hope from him. it was a moment i will tuck away as gentle reminder for the days when the world feels a bit too heavy otherwise.
"She said she usually cried at least once each day not because the world was sad, but because the world was so beautiful & life was so short." ~Brian Andreas
**this too helps to spread some joy and human connection**
