“You must be the change you wish to see in the world.”
~ Mohandas Gandhi
Today’s technology is amazing. Mail that used to take a week now takes a few seconds. Research trips used have to be scheduled around vehicles, library (or other business) hours and/or holidays, but now “google” is a verb. When I was a little girl there were exactly two television channels, and they were black and white; now I read that most cable boxes are capable of handling 999 channels, but there don’t appear to be many actual channels after 600. Six hundred! (We’ve opted not to get cable at our house, so I had to google that.) In 2004 the Federal Communications Commission announced a total of 13,476 radio stations in the United States.
If you have somehow managed to miss what’s going on in the world after all that, you have hundreds – maybe thousands! – of ‘friends’ on Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, Google+, and etc. who are more than happy to pass along noteworthy information about what the president is doing (or not doing), the advancement or degeneration of the multiplying political parties, how to solve the national debt (Did you hear the rumor that Apple has more cash than the U.S. Treasury? Leave my Mac alone!), the lack of privacy inherent in using devices connected to the internet, the number of times a person is recorded on security and spy cameras, everything you ever wanted to know (and more) about the Kardashians…
There are some days that I feel assaulted by the news. I want to hear and see some good things. Things that make me smile, make me wonder. Things that wake in me a sense of joy that I’m sharing the planet with some really awesome people.
So I went out and found some “good news” to share, and I want to start with a TV spot from Values.com that has been airing here recently. I’ve seen it a dozen times, and it still makes me sniffle and smile. Based on a true story, talented pianist Kurt Bestor plays (I know, it’s hard to believe) the pianist: Encouragement – Pass it On. (Unfortunately, I can’t post their video here!)
Brigham Young University students who began kicking around some ideas to help developing countries have come up with a rather ingenious invention. In fact, the devices they’re making are literally giving folks in these countries some “big steps” they’ve never been able to take before. (ksl.com)
How about this one?
This week a man from the suburbs of Chicago has been making headlines for his outsanding honesty. Robert Adams is that man and according to him he was simply doing the right thing by returning something that just was not his. (Chicago Man Finds $17,000 and Returns It)
Mormon Ads are some of my favorite videos to watch. What does swashbuckling have to do with spending time with your family? Check this out.
Wait, there’s one more Honorable Mention. Fellow author Gene Lempp not only writes informative and entertaining articles for his blog (and others!), but he takes the time to talk to people, to help them out, to promote them. I know because I’m one of the lucky recipients of his attention.
What kinds of compassion have you witnessed lately? What touches you? How are you helping to make the world a better place?
I love being able to help other writers get noticed, either on facebook or twitter or in conversations at the Grower's Market. I don't think of that as making the world a better place most of the time, but I suppose it is. I know telling other folks who have not met you yet about your writing certainly does! Excellent article, terrific videos. Thanks Robin!
Aw, thanks Robin! I appreciate the compliment, you just made my day 🙂
Love this post, the overwhelming flow of news in the digital era almost makes me naseous at times. I spent a couple of years as a "news hound", had to know everything that was going on everywhere. In the end, the thing I learned was: I didn't really want to know.
Thanks, Robin 🙂
@NarratusTelling others about good authors and good books definitely helps to make the world a better place – and I'm thrilled that you think I'm in that category!
@genelemppGood! 🙂 One of the cool things about the digital era is that we get to pick (mostly) what news to follow. I love that there are people actively looking for "the good stuff" and making it more available.