Stepping Back

There is beauty in the world outside my door

There is so much going on in the world, most of it terrible news.  Here in the US, we snipe at each other about which candidate for president would destroy the country faster. And for every step forward, there seems to be a painful step back. Across the Atlantic, in Britain, they’ve decided to draw up the bridge and put up a metaphorical fence, an action that has sent world markets into a tailspin.. In Turkey, a group that hates with such ferocity that they are willing to destroy all that is around them before destroying themselves has blown up yet another group of innocent bystanders. The polar ice caps are melting at an alarming rate. There is a floating atoll of garbage in the Pacific. Clean water is becoming a commodity that might soon be too dear for poor people to afford.
Some days, it seems to me that the entire human race has gone insane. Mama warned us about staring at the sun for too long and we did it anyway.  Some days, I want to turn away, turn it off, tune out. It hurts to see this wonderful bright planet in such a painful state.
I can’t tune out. I am a part of this world, for better or worse, I live here and this is the only home I have. For better or worse. On days like these, in times like these, it is good to step back for a while. To remind myself of all that is right and good and gracious on this planet of ours.
My own life has been blessed with family that I love. With friends I care about.  A garden blooms outside my window, the trees are full and leafy and green. The weather is genial and warm. I have good food (too much good food), and a place to call home.
And maybe the world has been always thus, a mix of blessings and curses. Great good and evil all wrapped into a single package. Small blocks of laughter sewn with small clusters of tears to make a glorious quilt.