Seems like today, everyday, we receive bad news. Actually we feel flooded with news, and due to the methods of our news delivery, the media, most of what we hear is the bad junk, rarely the good news.
Why? Many folks want to hear the sensational stuff because they feel bored with their ordinary lives. Boston Bombings, Texas Explosion, Killings and robberies, etc., etc., etc.
I want to discuss a different thought process today. I believe ALL news, TRUE news, is really good. When you know the truth you can act accordingly. You can think about it and decide how to act so the news doesn't have an adverse effect upon you.
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I remember Christmas 1970. I was in the Army, stationed in Germany with many bad issues developing for our country. My group was informed that because of this unrest all Christmas leaves would be cancelled and we could travel no further than 50 km from base. I was crushed. As an 18-year-old guy who had never been away from family and friends on Christmas hearing this news you can imagine the rush of thoughts I had, none of them good or positive.
While in my grieving process, setting in the barracks room assigned to me and my roommate (notice how the Army let you know you owned nothing and everything about you was completely in their control?) my roommate, Bob Kissinger came in singing Christmas carols and showing no signs of the immense depression I was feeling.
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Now Bob was from Texas, nothing more needs to said about how much he loved his home! I asked Bob how he could possibly be happy about this horrible news? What he said to me changed my life. Bad news? Bob said, "what makes this so bad?" "It's ruining Christmas, the absolute best holiday of the year!" I said.
Bob stopped in reflective thought for a moment then said, "I guess it will be what you allow it to be. It's good news to me. Given the truth of our situation I can make other plans to enjoy a new and better experience."
Enjoy that Christmas we did! Our company pulled together, spent hours discussing the different traditions each of our families had, and started being aware of the local German traditions. We became so consumed that a new Christmas plan developed quickly where we worked with a local social group, and we presented to them our many different versions of celebrating Christmas and in exchange they showed us the best of theirs!
I must tell you now that 1970 was the absolute best Christmas I ever spent. My point being, of course, is that all news that is accurate and true, no matter how bad it may seem, is good. Because you KNOW you can react or not, deal with it in the best way for you, and never again allow bad news to effect your life in a bad way.
My broken right elbow as certainly slowed me down, is that bad? Or good news? It's allowing me long periods of quiet thinking time. I'm willing to wager this bad news, like most every other piece of "BAD" news in my life will prove long term to be good news. Try this method on thinking today on the news headlines and see if it doesn't work for you too!