The world is more interconnected than ever before. What happens on the other side of the planet affects us, and what we do affects those in far-off places.

I don’t know if there are more frightening events occurring now than in the past or if we just learn about them because of modern methods of communication. It is true that in these times, humans have the means to inflict greater damage on each other than ever before.

It’s vital to know what’s happening in the world, but keeping troubling events at the forefront of our minds can prevent us from carrying on with our own lives.

When I looked at the news this morning (today it was particularly troubling), it was hard for me to focus on doing anything.

I knew that poring over every detail was not helpful to me personally or useful to the situation; yet what was happening compelled my attention.

This interest is probably just and right. I did feel the need to follow the story as it unfolded. I cried, and I grieved.

But at a certain point, I had to stop to attend to other things, including writing this newsletter.

“In a time of destruction, create something,” said the writer Maxine Hong Kingston.

There will always be reasons to feel too discouraged and distracted to do what we need to do in our lives. Our minds are very powerful, yet we have to watch them as we might watch a small child.

When we use our minds and bodies to create something, we are making order out of chaos.

If we can do something to alleviate the suffering of whatever is happening on the other side of the world, then we must do that. But if we can’t, then we have to do what we can for ourselves, or our families, or our communities.

Every bit of energy we use to stay strong and take positive actions, no matter how small they may be, ultimately contributes to raising the energy of the whole of humanity. All is connected.

No matter how dark things seem at times, we have to do our best to visualize and direct our actions to bring in some light. Manifest some beauty for the good of all. Write your thoughts, write your dreams, imagine a better world.

The world is indeed full of peril, and in it, there are many dark places; but still, there is much that is fair, and though in all lands love is now mingled with grief, it grows perhaps the greater. ~ J.R.R. Tolkien, The Fellowship of the Ring

In a time of destruction, create something.  ~Maxine Hong Kingston