For richer or poorer, for better or worse

In times of trouble, our whole sense of being is colored by dilemma.  We pause to rethink every decision, choice and past circumstance leading up to an unmanageable situation with regret and judgement.  A mugging takes place every time we beat ourselves up. We may recognize patterns when we ask "why does this keep happening to me?"   Actually, there is often a compulsion to recreate situations and bad relationships until we learn the lesson from them.  

We often feel that we must give due attention to the disasters befalling other people by following the daily news accounts detailing the tolls of loss and grief.  Ignoring tragedy indicates a shallow personality, narcissism or lack of compassion, right?  Perhaps the opposite is true.  People who rubberneck on highways to view a gory accident aren't always more compassionate.  Watching replays of searing grief and devastation may provoke gratitude for our happiness and safety or it may feed an addiction to sensationalism as we avoid dealing with our comparatively minor but pervasive discontent or personal challenges.

To lead a richer, fuller life, we need to lighten up.  Drama and continual focus on what is wrong with the country, our relatives, our hair, our income, our love life will rarely help us create a peaceful, vibrant, successful sense of being.  Each day the news that is being reported focuses on what has gone wrong in the world.  Crime, violence, dispute and disaster hit us in sixty second assaults to the senses with surreal commercial breaks for yogurt, wrinkle cream and treatment for erectile dysfunction.   Constant negativity takes its toll on our physical and mental health.  One of our local news programs features a regular segment called "People Behaving Badly".  Wouldn't the audience benefit from a feature on "People Behaving Bravely"?

It benefits us to share news of encouragement, accolades for achievement, creative solutions to problems, and take pleasure in what is going right without guilt.  Counting our blessings allows better sleep, loving interactions with family and friends and energizes us with anticipation for a pleasant and productive day.  Imagine less antacid and more apple pie!   Limiting our exposure to misery is the first step to a richer life. If there is a community problem or crisis, lets propose a solution with the story. Then everyone feels empowered and not universally victimized by proxy.

We can choose to create the shift to richer living without needing an increase in the paycheck.  Beauty and bounty surround us, lets enjoy what we can and share it.  Listen to more music and fewer complaints. Notice and celebrate one good thing every day, better yet, every hour!  Take some advice from a bumper sticker and practice random acts of kindness and senseless acts of beauty.  We will all be richer for it.