Silver Lining News Round Up

Sometimes, it is important to find the good in the news.  Here is my attempt...

Recasting watching reruns from slovenly spending the day on the couch -- into a powerful way to replenish our resources to tackle life.  I can't tell you how much I love this story -- even if I don't need this kind of reinforcement.

BTW--I LOVE LUCY!

This other story talks about how a (literally) back breaking job shifted one man's consciousness -- and, in some ways, changed his life.  And it features some of the most beautiful parts of the world -- the coastal mountains of southern California -- yes, I am biased.

I read the next story in the mobile version ... the desktop version features this picture (among other great ones):

It discusses how a Muslim family built a business and many friendships at a poultry store in East Los Angeles... really worth the read.  One wonders, however, how the NYTimes.com got this story and not the LATimes.com.

This story features another one of my favorite people in the world, Father Greg Boyle, revving up some teachers in my home county, if not hometown.  In the world of start of the school year "professional" development, this is the kind of "workshop" that I can get behind.  In my brain, using this kind of inspiration to get more teachers to see the possibilities is really worth the time and the money.

 More about Father Greg Boyle, his work, and his initiatives in East Los Angeles, and in his own words...

...there are some super silver linings in those links that always make my day and inspire me not to give up.

These two stories I heard one morning this week offer another glimpse of some silver.  The first is about how President Obama makes decisions.  I guess it mostly struck me because while we are listening to increasingly strident anti-Obama campaign ads, this piece offers a wholly different vantage point from which to view our president.  I am admittedly biased on this point -- I don't love everything that he has done these past four years -- but I admire the hell out of his willingness to take on many of the hard issues.

The other is a truly fascinating interview with Junot Diaz -- I love the introspectiveness and openness of this piece -- I think he startled the interviewer with his candor -- honesty, vulnerability, courage -- those are some large ingots of silver, my friends!

Okay, you might have to squint at this one to see the silver lining, but I swear it is there.  I read the headline several times before I could even bring myself to open it:  Leaders of mass-murder sites share pain, support.  Um... who are the leaders of mass-murder sites?!  I wasn't sure what that meant, and ultimately, that is what brought me to the piece.  I was struck by several things:  1) there is good in the internet -- I know this, but sometimes, I really have to be reminded.  It was wonderful to see how easy it was to send "love" notes via email to someone you don't know (actually as easy as it is to send not love mail); 2) there is power in feeling connected -- I like the paying it forwardness that the journalist reported.  Each one saw the power in "repaying" the favor by reaching out to the next one; 3) perhaps the most important part of this piece... in most cases, the person they contacted did not write back or take the writer up on any offer.  But because each of these men was reporting what it felt like also to be contacted, we know, as readers, that those who received the messages were touched and comforted.  You can send message in a bottle missives and know that someone is being comforted.  Can you feel that power?

photo from the CHP, lifted from SFGate.com

One last one that you will have to stretch to see... CHP Officer's Organs Go to 4 Recipients.  It may seem morbid, but truly this was a gift of life - given unselfishly by his family to honor the officer's wishes.  When my cousin died, almost four years ago, at 39, leaving three children of her own, the only solace I found was in the gift of life that my aunt conferred on many recipients.  My mother was the "witness" when my aunt signed the paper work, so at Christmas that year, she read us the letter from the organ donation organization.  It was a bittersweet moment to be sure ... but more sweet than bitter.  We couldn't get Michelle back, but we could now that she was breathing life into many others.  I hope in time Officer Youngstrom's family will come to see their generous gift in the same way.

Good can come from evil ... if we let it.  Be the change...