It’s been an ugly week. Ugly news. People all over social media spewing their own ugly opinions. So to combat all that ugliness, here are some of the beautiful things I saw people do this week.
- The volunteer organization I work for put out an email saying there was an elderly woman who needed help moving into an assisted living facility in an adjoining city. On a sweltering morning 17 people showed up. Men, women and a few teenagers - all of various colors and ethnicity and ages and strength. After getting everything packed and loaded, I had the honor of taking the lady in my car and as we were about to leave, she looked at this virtual united nations of helpers and said “this Town has really changed.” I held my breath waiting for the other shoe to drop. Then she said “I am sorry to be leaving.” I’m sorry she had to leave too.
- My secretary’s daughter is losing her battle with stage 4 ovarian cancer. My secretary had lent her daughter and son-in-law her car to drive to Philadelphia where the daughter is being treated. Then things turned worse and my secretary felt she should go. My colleagues came up with a car for her to use and contributed more than $500 for the trip. All within 15 minutes. I really love the people I work with.
- Last Thursday I went to the ballet - Giselle, danced by the National Ballet of Canada. That alone was beautiful enough to carry me through the week. Seated in front of us was a group of campers, all proudly wearing their bright neon yellow shirts, all special needs kids. Sometimes they were a little loud and often clapped at the “wrong” times and I could hear a few of the hoity toity grey haired ladies muttering about it. At intermission many of the campers went into the aisle to give their rendition of the ballet. Their joy and delight was so exuberant that many other audience members got up to dance with them, even some of the hoity toities in their finest 5th Avenue clothes. And everyone applauded.
So if you, like me, are getting discouraged by the haters and the pundits and those who like to regurgitate bad news over and over, please remember that there are a lot of really good people out there. People who do not feel the need to tell everyone else how to live but simply go out and show the world what love looks like.
I always look forward to Tuesdays and your Full of Grace posts. This one is will make me smile all day.
ReplyDeleteThank you, I love writing these posts. I never want to be one of those people who lose sight of all the beauty in the world.
DeleteI second what Kim said - your Tuesday posts are a wonderful antidote to the often septic world of social media.
ReplyDelete"Simply go out and show the world what love looks like."
Yes, this. Over and over again, this!
Social media does seem to have gotten very mean, yes? I don't know if the anonymity of it or what, but wow, it has gotten nasty out there.
DeleteImagine if people took 10 minutes of their Facebook time to do a random act of kindness. I think it could be amazing.
I loved this post - thank you for sharing these nuggets of the good that exists in this crazy world.
ReplyDeleteThanks. I think these nuggets are all around us but for some reason people like to focus on just the negative. It is a crazy world when people would rather hate than to love.
DeleteOk, two things.
ReplyDelete1) I don't care how corny, unimportant, or sappy it is; I have really enjoyed watching the news about that royal baby. I think because it is a happy news item, for once.
2) Got into an argument with my gf about attitudes. We were walking to the store and saw a couple of teenage boys go into a neighbor's house. T said something like, "What are they doing? They don't live there, those people have small kids." I said, "Who knows? Maybe they are visiting. Maybe they stopped off to say hi to their favorite math teacher, maybe that's their aunt and uncle's house. Why are you acting all suspicious?" It devolved from there.
Our attitudes shape our actions. I'd rather think the best and deal with the fallout than expect the worst and be right.
I'd like more of 'showing the world what love looks like'....
xoxo
I love all the royal baby news too! (Even though they didn't take my idea for baby names.)
DeleteOur attitudes shape out actions - absolutely. And too many people have piss poor attitudes. Sad too, because it's just as easy to have a positive attitude than a negative one.
Yes, one must distance themselves from the ugliness of the world. I think there is still more good than bad, it is just that the bad is so, so loud.
ReplyDeleteThank goodness for the grace of good people who do good, sweet, loving, caring, things...showing the world what love looks like. :-)
Yes.
I'm not sure I want to "distance" myself from the ugliness. Certainly I want to be aware of it, especially if there are things I can help with or change. But I don't want to be a part of the constant regurgitation of ugly. I would much rather celebrate the "grace of good people" than make celebrities of nasty folks.
ReplyDeleteAnd those people who sit behind their computers having an opinion about everything? Imagine the impact if instead they just went out and helped someone else. You know - Be the change they want to see in the world. You may say I'm a dreamer . . . : )