I am choosing to not watch the news right now, or ever. Not because I don't care or that I don't feel the need to be informed. I can follow the accounts for my county and local police on Twitter and get all the news I need. Honestly, Luke Bryan articulated it best, "I believe if you just go by the nightly news, Your faith in all mankind would be the first thing you lose." Yes, there is evil in this world but you have to choose joy.
Some people consider it naive or ignorant to live like this, and they can choose to believe that. I choose to live according to my experience, which I am sure some will discount because I am 'only' twenty-one. My experience is not story after story of tragedy, and I hope yours is not either. Everyone has moments of pain, disappointment, sadness, and loneliness. But when you allow yourself to sit in that despair, your heart slowly becomes hardened. It is so very easy to fixate on the evil and darkness in the world and become very cynical. The thing is, cynical people are enslaved by their own fears and beliefs. They believe that they see the world as it is, but in reality they see the world with blinders neglecting to see the good and beauty.
All of this became very apparent as I went out on a Costco trip with my mom last week which, side note, totally felt like making a run on the "Walking Dead". The difference being, we were talking, smiling, and giggling as we went about our shopping and noticed how others were not smiling, not talking. It was like we were shopping with the walking dead. Now I don't want you to misunderstand what I am saying. I know some people are hurting greatly during this time, but if there is a moment where you have to choose joy, this is definitely it. Pope Francis said yesterday:
Choose joy today, if not for yourself then for those around you. Be the light of joy to others to be afraid. Yet our faith is weak and we are fearful. But you, Lord, will not leave us at the mercy of the storm. Tell us again: “Do not be afraid” (Mt 28:5). And we, together with Peter, “cast all our anxieties onto you, for you care about us” (cf. 1 Ptr 5:7).
Choose joy today, if not for yourself, then for those around you. Be the light of joy to others.
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