I sense a shift from many of us in what we are watching, listening to, and reading in an effort to protect our nervous systems from the constant barrage of jarring news, ugly sound bytes and voices of hate.
That same shift is happening here.
I have to altered my podcast listening away from anything political toward deeper, thoughtful, more encouraging and challenging topics. I want to think long and hard about how to live now, in these strange days.
A long-time favorite of mine is the On Being podcast with Krista Tippett.
In late 2022 she rebooted her podcast and started with four thought-provoking, short podcasts. I re-listened to all of them this past week while walking through my neighborhood enjoying the falling leaves and autumn colors.
Her first episode of that series is called "Seeing the Generative Story of our Time."
Take a listen if you have 7 minutes.
Whether you listen or not, here are some things she said that have been rolling around in my heart and soul this week:
Krista talks about how easy it is to see catastrophic things around us, as they are plenty, but that we can also train our eye to look for "the generative story of our time," meaning, "the ordinary, abundant reality of things that are going right at any given time."
She urges us to look for people who "have an edifying effect on those around them," to look for "the healers," while, at the same time, rising to our own best humanity."
Tippett claims that "we are all capable of beauty, joy, dignity, creativity, community and care."
These thoughts are from the first few minutes of this short episode.
I am thinking about starting to laser focus my attention on what is going right around me; what is good, what is kind, what is healing, what is generative. I want to seek out and find stories of human generosity and joy. I want to spend time with those who are endlessly creative, seek the dignity of all people, and have an edifying effect on those around them. I want to be all of those things, too. Don't you?
Did you know that these things, these people are everywhere we look?
Healers ...
Hopers ...
Helpers ...
Hype women and men ...
Humble souls ...
Happy humans ...
Heroes ...
There is more than enough catastrophe on the news. There is more than enough hate. There is more than enough fear.
But I believe there is even more good.
And I plan to look for it and celebrate it everywhere I can.
Let's find the good together, shall we?
And perhaps even more important, let's be the good. Let's be the good.
“Let’s be the good”, amen 🙌💗
Thanks for the reminder to be positive. See all the good happening around us. And opportunities to do good.