Weary....oh so weary

Day in and day out we are being bombarded with unsettling messages from every direction.  Some are political, some are seemingly non-political about how broken things are, and who is responsible for breaking them.The daily news seems to offer mostly spin and 'entertainment' rather than fact based, unbiased NEWS.  It's a part of their name... yet it seems hard to find.Way too often there is a story about someone or some group of people taking lives.  Sometimes it's one-on-one, sometimes it's one on many, sometimes it is much more.Even though, I make an effort to not click through to sites, I know are primarily propaganda from right or left.  Even though I really do attempt to limit my consumption of 'news' in general, by the end of the day I am weary.  To the bone, put my head under my pillow and pray it all goes away weary.I'm confident that the vast majority feel much the same way.  Yet it continues.  Yet it seems to actually be getting worse.

At what point, do we declare ENOUGH!  (seems like too much already, yet we've not declared ENOUGH yet)  At what point, do we let our news outlets know that their editorials should be labelled as such, that we don't need them to be charming and cute, that we want our news accurate, free of nonsense, delivered by intelligent people with no hidden (or obvious) agenda.Do we need to write letters?  Call or write sponsors to pressure them to demand better?  How do we become a factual, reality based people.  Have we ever been that? Or is that a delusion I need to work on?It might be helpful if we remembered one of my favorite quotes, attributed to Shirdi Sai Baba, who said:"Before you speak, ask yourself, is it kind, is it true, is it necessary, does it improve upon the silence?"

~Shirdi Sai Baba

Sadly, for much of what is printed, broadcasted, tweeted, written and shared the answer would be NO for each question.

I struggle almost every day to not engage in counterproductive exchanges of ideas that lead only to anger and frustration.  Sometimes I will type a response, or share an item online, only to have second (and third) thoughts.  Then I often double back and hit the delete button.When I do see news sources and outlandish claims posted, I attempt to determine the validity of the information or the source that it came from.  There are new websites and sources popping up every day it seems.  In many cases, it appears that they either have no acquaintance with facts and truth, or that their purpose is primarily to stir the pot by spreading manure.

I've read that those who stir the shit pot, should have to lick the spoon. I can only hope that is true, and that I'm successful in not being that guy.

In a few short weeks, the election will be behind us.  Some will be happy with the outcomes, some will not.  I wonder though, will we be able to put the genie back in the bottle and attempt to pull together, to act like we're all in this together regardless of how we worship (or don't) who we love, what we think.  That regardless of the pigment in our skin tones, whether we lean right or left, whether we live in a large city, a small town or in the country.. that WE have to somehow find a way to respect each other, to work together for the common good, to respect each other and to lift each other up.The chasm that has been created (or made significantly worse depending on your world view) is not impossible to bridge, but I suggest we get started NOW.