Nice News for the New Year


It's been a bad week for news, hasn't it? News that has raised issues that pierce the mind, makes us stop and re-examine everything. Yet, Jon Stewart's words broadcast on The Daily Show last night can also make us stop, think, and re-examine. He advised his viewers to be aware of the great "anonymous goodness" that exists in our nation and in the world.

That anonymous goodness saved lives last Saturday when a solitary, mentally ill man became an author of destruction. And, it saves lives every day.  So, here's the nice news for the new year, brought about my lots of anonymous goodness.
Unicef beat its goal of raising $2 million by December 31st, 2010. It raised $3 million. I'm one of those anonymous souls who sent them a small donation, which was doubled by a grantor.  I'm part of that $3 million! I feel rich!  I haven't been able to find a resource to know if the International Rescue Committee met its year-end goal, but I'm hoping they did.

Zen Master Sunryu Suzuki said, "Shine one corner of the world." We each have a corner we can shine, and if we all set to shining a corner of this world, our world can be transformed by anonymous goodness every day. Stay informed, yes--but don't let one set of information lead you to despair. Look also for the news that leads to a moment of joy. It's still there. It's still here. Let's turn Pogo's phrase on its head:  "We have met the good guy, and he is us."

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