Breaking News

If I had a nickel for every “Breaking News” alert I’ve gotten in the last week from my NYT online subscription, I’d take us all out for a pricey coffee and a donut. I mean, we get it; it’s all breaking news. What we know is that the news is only going to get more absurd and more difficult in the coming months and years. There will be plenty of heart-breaking news alerts, and we should think about how we’re going to prepare for what comes next. In 1950 Bette Davis parlance, “Fasten your seatbelts, it’s going to be a bumpy night.”

So… how do we manage? Yes, yes, of course, activism! (Read or re-read Roxanne P’s devotional and the excellent article she shared last week.) It’s unlikely that anybody reading this has thrown up their hands and is trading in the news for People magazine. But staying informed does not mean leaving yourself open to the constant barrage of outrage, however justified, coming from all angles. For me, it means opting out of news updates on my devices and redirecting conversations when they are bound to end in a rage or grief spiral.

And also, balance. What’s your plan to balance the good you put into the world: activism and care, with the good you put into yourself: gentleness and joy? How helpful is it to absorb every amped up take that is bouncing around in the echo chamber I’ve built for myself? Not at all. How much more valuable then, is it to focus on a skill, to work toward better brain health and greater physical strength and flexibility, and to engage with my family and friends with genuine and renewed interest? Immeasurably so. The bad breaking news alerts are going to keep coming, so let’s remember to share the BREAKING GOOD NEWS in our own lives and in the world around us.

Holy One,

Help us to support one another even while we are caring and gentle with ourselves.

Amen

Eli is a worship leader at Peace. As she gets closer to turning 60, she’s finding ways to keep her body and mind more active, including sharpening her (almost) weekly mahjong game.