I Fear For My Grandchildren’s Future
QI have stopped watching the evening news and now find myself passing by the newspaper stand, too. I just find it far too depressing to watch and don’t want to read about all the horrible things that are going on in the world right now. Why is everything so awful? I can’t remember it being as bad as this when I was younger. I feel constantly worried and anxious for my grandchildren. What kind of world are they going to grow up in?
AI know what you mean – every news story can appear to be about doom and gloom. The troubled political canvas, the wars, the individual tragedies are put in front of us 24/7. The positive, happy stories never get as much air time. There is a view that reading about those more challenged than us makes us feel better about our situation – bizarre, isn’t it? “Bad news sells more.”
Your reaction is not just about that, though, I suspect. We do live in a time when there is a great deal of misery
– wars, sickness, deprivation. The world economy has slowed and many people feel disadvantaged and unheard.
However, the answer is not to just avoid it all but to balance it. Word of mouth is also there – not just The News. It’s important to know of something great that happened just down the road.
As you have grandchildren, you must have had many experiences, good and bad. Talk to them about your good times – pulling together in adversity, or games you played as a child. Sharing them will allow some light back in.
Life will always be a mix. If the news is badly affecting you, why not accept what you can or cannot do? You can volunteer to help others, for instance. Also, laughter is one of life’s basic life forces. You could seek out a “laughing workshop”. Change the things you can.
Life will always be a mix. Accept what you can or cannot do – volunteer, for instance