The Long Pause

It’s been more than 6 months since I last posted here. It’s trite but true that time passes quickly. Sometimes it feels as though it crushes you with a tsunami of challenges to face and work through.

A great deal has happened in this short period. The world, and especially this country, feels as though it’s hurtling away from kindness and care at light speed. We are bombarded daily with headlines and images of new horrors and travesties unfolding. It’s easy to grow numb and weary from the sheer volume of negative content.

I have to remind myself constantly that it’s only part of the story. That there is good in equal amounts and that I must choose to seek it out, for when you look for good, you’ll find it.

People everywhere, including in our neighborhood, do small acts of beauty and kindness all the time. I’ve witnessed people bringing food to the sick, taking out the garbage for someone struggling with mobility, hosting weekly get-togethers to experience something entertaining on TV, or extending an invitation to play backyard table tennis to neighbors, new and old.

These simple acts of connection foster a sense of belonging and build resilience. They’re a form of hope in action. Though simple, they’re powerful and remind us of the possibilities and that fact that we can create the world we want to live in.

“Find the good. It’s all around you. Find it, showcase it, and you’ll start believing in it.” ~Jessie Owens