I consider myself a “news hog.” I love the news. I have always loved the news. ALWAYS. I read the news first thing in the morning and last thing before bed.
I know a lot of people who hate reading/watching/hearing the news: “It’s too depressing, it makes me sad, there’s no good news anymore…”
And I understand… I do. I get it. Quite frankly, I agree with those reasons.
But I can’t stop myself.
Not reading the news makes me feel disconnected. I know there are a lot of God-awful stories internationally, nationally, and even locally, but being unaware of them – to me, at least – is worse than being aware of them. In my opinion, no matter what the news is, it’s important because it is happening. Someone is suffering somewhere, and I feel like the least I can do is acknowledge that.
I am not insensitive to what’s happening in our world, and I am not numb to it, either. I can’t just read the news and shrug my shoulders and go on with my day. No, not at all. In fact, the very opposite happens. If I read about something terrible, that stays with me… for a long time. Years, maybe even longer. I think about the people affected and I pray for them.
Sometimes I think all this adds to my ever-growing “worry list,” but I don’t care. Not reading the news makes me feel selfish, and I don’t want to just live in my own little world and never surface. Though I think we all need moments where we tune the world out, I don’t think it’s feasible all the time.
After all, I think it’s in our awareness that we become more empathetic and less selfish. Those are my goals, anyway. I’ve found that in the stories I read, I discover more about myself and the world we live in – good and bad – but all worth it.
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