Seems like lately I wake up, go downstairs, turn on the TV and await whatever catastrophe or crisis has happened overnight or is pending. It\u2019s kind of a bummer to start the day off this way. I could just turn the TV off and imagine that all is well in the world, but I figure that, realistically, before the day is over, someone will tell me it isn\u2019t. So I thought I\u2019d just try to change my attitude a bit. I did a little reading on the Internet and came across something that seems to have helped put things into a better perspective for me.<\/p>\n
In 1857 an editorial appeared in the Boston Globe<\/em> bemoaning the sad conditions of the nation. The editorial states, \u201cNot in the lifetime of most men has there been so much grave and deep apprehension. Never has the future seemed so dismal.\u201d Each generation thinks that their times are the most difficult the world has ever seen. We characterize our yesterdays affectionally as \u201cthe good ole days.\u201d Because the future often causes us to fear the worst, we seek consolation in the past. Imagine how many \u201cgood ole days\u201d have taken place since 1857. Looking back, the nation survived the Civil War (and World War I, World War II, Vietnam, 9\/11, and countless other catastrophic events.) I saw a sign once that said, \u201cThese are the good old days.\u201d Our tendency is to think that some other time or place was, or will be, better than today. All days can\u2019t be good or great, but all days aren\u2019t bad \u2014 most probably aren\u2019t as bad as we think. There\u2019s a song in the play Annie<\/em> that goes something like, \u201cTomorrow, tomorrow, I love you tomorrow\u2026 The sun will come out tomorrow.\u201d <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Seems like lately I wake up, go downstairs, turn on the TV and await whatever catastrophe or crisis has happened overnight or is pending. It\u2019s kind of a bummer to start the day off this way. I could just turn … Continue reading
\nI suspect that many of the readers of that editorial agreed with it. Back in 1857, it was looking more and more like a Civil War was inevitable and the future did seem bleak and unpredictable. It is our natural tendency to focus on the negative aspects of situations and imagine them as only getting worse.<\/p>\n
\nOnce again, today we are in the midst of a number of situations seemingly without any apparent solution. But the future has a way of bringing pleasant surprises.<\/p>\n
\nSo no matter how dark and depressing things seem, we\u2019ll get through them and the sun will come out\u2026
\n\u2014 30 \u2014<\/p>\n