Bad News Vs. Hope

Sometimes, when I sit down at my computer to put together the monthly Hope From the Bottom Up newsletter, I think to myself: Isn’t this just a waste of time?

There are never-ending stories of mass gun murders.

There are continuing threats to how our democracy works and questions about whether or not we can continue to have a democracy in our country as times move forward.

There are more frequent environmental disasters (floods, hurricanes, droughts, wildfires, rising sea levels displacing more and more people, etc.) which take a toll on individuals, families, communities, and nations.

Instead of promoting Hope From the Bottom Up, shouldn’t I be spending more of my time directly confronting these problems which negatively influence the quality of our lives, our families, our neighbors, our communities, our country, and the world as a whole?

And my answer to myself is “Keep up spreading good news and hope.”

I am 80 years old, and I have spent my entire adult life working to address all of these negatives.

There always have been problems and challenges to overcome, and there always will be.

Fortunately, I have been in a position to help bring about some positive change. And I think I have contributed to bringing about some positive changes.

I certainly have not brought about as much positive change as I would have liked to and hoped for.

But, at the same time, I am impressed by the opportunities I have had of seeing the many good and positive things individuals, groups, and organizations of all types: not-for profits, churches, schools, businesses, and all levels of governments have done to make this a better world.

So, I will continue spreading the good news because it encourages me to keep working to make this a better world.

I know we can all contribute to making this a better world.

We all have gifts and talents which we can use to make positive things happen.

Good news gives me hope!

If you participate in any way to make things better for families, your community, your workplace, or any other group you are a part of, please share that with me and the readers of the Hope From the Bottom Up website and monthly newsletter. To send me an email with your thoughts, please click on robert@robertbeezat.com

Your response does not have to be long. A few sentences would be good. But if you want to write something a little bit longer, don’t hesitate to do so.

Thank you. And keep hoping and working for a better world for all of us.

I included an article I wrote titled “Bad News vs. Hope” in the August 2022 Hope Newsletter. Here is a link to that article. https://hopefromthebottomup.com/news/bad-news-vs-hope  One woman shared some thoughts in response to that article. Here is what she said:

I’m a member of Attitude of Gratitude which is an online community of people with Chronic Pain Conditions. We support one another to focus on what we CAN do, never complaining or talking about limitations. This helps us be more productive in our families and communities.

When I contacted this woman about this group, she sent me a link to the Facebook page of this group. https://www.facebook.com/groups/attitudeofgratitudewithchronicpain/?ref=share

She further wrote to me the following: I joined the group early on. I was approximately member 485 in 2015. There are now over 10,000 members, seven years later!  

There are bonus groups, e.g., Journaling Club, Crafts & Hobbies group, and they offer a couple of Zoom Group Mtgs weekly.  I’ve met some super women through this group. No one can really understand you unless they’ve experienced it themselves, so this is an invaluable resource for people with chronic pain, regardless of its source.  It can be a lifesaving support for people who are experiencing the shock of the imposed restrictions and losses associated with the onset of chronic pain.