Today, I began a post called, “What Is Happening to the World?” which was full of my anxious thoughts about recent events. I had gone to bed the other night, feeling anxious and angry after the news account of the attack on London. I woke up with the same anxiety. Hence the post I just mentioned.
But I scrapped that post.
Look at this.
And this.
And this.
I’m reminded that the world isn’t totally full of sadness and evil. There is beauty, kindness, love, joy.
Yes, there is grief. I’m grieved by acts of senseless violence.
Maybe that’s why one of my favorite comic book characters is Wonder Woman. I haven’t yet seen the movie. But my friends and I plan to see it on Tuesday. When I was a kid, I read Wonder Woman comic books, and dreamed of being a superhero. While I didn’t love her outfit, I loved her strength and outlook of hope. I loved that she used her gifts to make a difference in the world—her way of combatting the darkness.
See that glint of light on the poster? I chose this poster because of the light. Though darkness might seem to hold sway, a little bit of light always shines through.
We can choose to bring the light of hope to someone in the darkness of despair. (Yes, there is a way to do that without sounding Pollyanna or giving false hope.)
We can choose to be fully present to those around us who need a listening ear.
We can choose to let a child show us the wonder he or she sees in the world.
We can choose to be kinder to each other.
A friend sent this video to me on a day when I needed a laugh. Maybe you need this right now. It’s not the cure for cancer or hopelessness. But it’s a start.
Wonder Woman movie poster from dvdreleasedates.com. Other photos by L. Marie.
El Space--The Blog of L. Marie 
A beautiful post. And I agree – it’s always important to bring a bit of light and joy into the world. If we do that, the darkness can never win.
Thanks, Lucy. I know it’s hard sometimes. I struggled this past weekend after hearing about what happened in London. And we’d just experienced the heartbreak of the Manchester attack. 😦
Now I can’t help thinking of the movie adaptation of Two Towers:
Sam: It’s like in the great stories Mr. Frodo, the ones that really mattered. Full of darkness and danger they were, and sometimes you didn’t want to know the end because how could the end be happy? How could the world go back to the way it was when so much bad had happened? But in the end it’s only a passing thing this shadow, even darkness must pass. A new day will come, and when the sun shines it’ll shine out the clearer. Those were the stories that stayed with you, that meant something even if you were too small to understand why. But I think Mr. Frodo, I do understand, I know now folk in those stories had lots of chances of turning back, only they didn’t. They kept going because they were holding on to something.
Frodo: What are we holding onto, Sam?
Sam: That there’s some good in this world, Mr. Frodo, and it’s worth fighting for.
Could not agree more x
😀
I totally agree! Sometimes it feels like it’s a lot harder to find the joy and beauty than it used to be, but it is still there. I’m so keen to see Wonder Woman! We have a long weekend coming up so I’m hoping it’ll be next Monday.
It is. That’s why I find it interesting that this movie has come out at this time. Seems the perfect time for it.
Wonder Woman was a really fun movie. Also, that first flower looks like one of those fidget spinners that you see everywhere.
Yay! Can’t wait to see it!
Fidget spinners are ubiquitous. I saw some for $2.99 at the grocery store! And to think that a month ago, I’d never heard of them. A friend gave his daughter one that he found on Amazon, because she really needed it to stop fidgeting in school. Now every kid at the school has one.
Some of my son’s classmates had them because it helped. My parents bought him one to see if it would do the same for him. He brought it into school and then we got a note that they had been recently banned because they were a distraction. It’s a shame because they were designed for kids like my son.
Does the school have a policy where a parent could write a note explaining why the fidget spinner is helpful? That’s what happened in the case of my friend and his daughter. The teachers banned them. But kids with notes from their parents were allowed to have them.
Nope. Even another student having one can be a distraction. You would also have at least one parent complaining that their child can’t bring theirs when these other kids are allowed. At least that’s how I assume it’s going to go. We never got to test how well it worked with him.
That’s a shame. Kids who really need the help can’t use them.
I wonder if the fidget cube is less of a distraction. It has a track ball on one side, and other tactile things on others.
My brother-in-law has one of those. My son was playing with it, which caused my parents to get the spinner. I’m confused on how it helps someone focus. Wouldn’t a person be paying more attention to the fidget item than their work?
That’s why I don’t have one. I wouldn’t pay attention to anything else.
It reminds me of Pogs and those snap bracelets when I was a kid.
I remember those! I saw some Pogs on Amazon.
I vaguely remember them making a brief comeback a year or two ago.
Lovely post, L. Marie. We all must make an effort to find the beauty and kindness that still exists in the world. If we stop, the terrorists win. That video is hilarious!
Thank you, Jill. I was heartened by the fact that Ariana Grande returned to Manchester to do another concert. Such a beautiful gesture. That’s how we keep evil from winning.
Yes, I so love that video. XD Laughter is definitely good medicine.
Oh, thank you for the beautiful photos and the “lol” video! You are so right. There is still beauty in the world and the best way us ordinary people can fight back is by continuing to embrace life. There is light and we should continue to move toward it together. On a separate note, I’m hoping to see Wonder Woman at our local IMAX in the next few weeks. I grew up with those comic books and Lynda Carter as WW too 😉
Thank you, Marie. 🙂 Same here. I remember Lynda Carter as Wonder Woman. I can’t wait to see the movie!
And thank you for your post about Jeri. I love that you pointed out a worthy cause and a way to help.
❤️❤️
Well done, L. Marie, and thank you! We all need to feel joy and see that glint of light in the darkness and to hold onto to it, especially is times such as these. Your flower photos are beautiful.I have sometimes felt like Nelson must have felt herding sheep. haha
Enjoy this day, which looks like it is going to be lovely.
Thank you, Penny. 🙂 I was so tempted to write about my feeling of helplessness and despair. But for me, that would mean that evil won the day. I couldn’t allow that.
I also feel like Nelson. XD I love watching the sheep chase such a tiny dog.
Good for you for not letting evil win! Looking for joy can be hard, especially lately. Here’s to all the Nelson’s, whether four legged or two! 🙂
Amen to that, Penny!
Nelson is super adorable, isn’t he?
Needed this – thanks!
I did too, Alison!
Thanks for this, L. Marie! I wish the news media would recognise that obsessing for days about each new outrage is a win for the terrorists and keeps us all in a state of anxiety. I don’t know if you’re a Twitterer but there was a lovely response to the London attacks yesterday under the hashtag #ThingsThatLeaveBritainReeling. It was in response to a NYT headline saying Britain was “reeling” after the attacks. Honestly, we Brits rarely “reel” over such things, not for more than a few hours anyway – sadly, decades of IRA terrorism have taught us the best way to react is to carry on regardless. People used the hashtag to describe the things that DO make Brits reel – from tea being too weak, to discovering that it’s not raining, to finding the last biscuit in the pack is broken. Loads of them were hilarious – and a real kick in the teeth to any would-be terrorist who might wrongly have thought they’d broken us… 🙂
I’m on Twitter, but only sporadically. I totally agree that the media’s penchant for sensationalism stokes anxiety while giving copycats ideas. 😦 I’ll have to look for the #ThingsThatLeaveBritainReeling feed. XD
There is always light in the darkness.
I saw the trailer for the Wonder Woman film-it looks nothing like the tv series I watched as a kid!
I know! Looks awesome! So many people are telling me how good it is!
Enjoy the movie . . . and keep looking for joy!
The problem is not more danger/sadness in the world than there used to be, it’s that we are exposed to it 24/7. Bad news is everywhere. The networks leave it up to us to find the good.
I think that Nelson makes a great LEADER of sheep!
I know what you mean, Nancy. The same stories blare at us, no matter where we go. We need a respite.
Yes, Nelson tries so hard. 😀
Thank you for this post and the pictures of the flowers! Being on the road, I’m missing Wonder Woman. And I have to say that not having access to TV helps to avoid the worst. I have no intention of reconnecting my cable when I return at the end of this week.
I don’t miss cable! People tell me all of the time about the shows I’m missing. I’d rather watch one of the many DVDs I have in my stash.
I like your reaction to remain in the hope and in finding ressources in watching the splendid nature and in bringing joy around you.
Love ❤
Michel
I am also inspired by your lovely garden, Michel! 😀
I forgot to say I had a laugh in asmiring the efficient dog ” in guard ” of the flock!! 🙂
I laughed too, Michel! I loved seeing the sheep chasing him. 😀
I sent the video to one of my daughters who owns a little dog like the” worst sheep dog”. She was happy with that !:)
Thank you for sharing that, Michel! 😀
If we waited to live in a time with no problems, we’d be waiting a long, long time. Most of what we hear on the news will never touch us or those we love. As Nancy said, the world isn’t getting worse, communication is just getting better. In fact, according to statistics I’ve read, in most areas, life on earth is getting better.
I do like to pay attention to the news. I care about what’s happening, but since I can’t do anything about most of it, I guess I’m able to set those problems aside and focus on what’s in front of me.
Nice flower pictures. I just took a walk, and everything seems to be in bloom. So beautiful!
Thanks, Nicki. The flowers are looking pretty dry, thanks to the relentless 90 degree temperatures and no rain.
Yes communication has gotten more and more intrusive in some ways, thanks to social media feeds and news flashing on smartphones.
If we lived hundreds of years ago (or most any time throughout human history), the only bad things we would hear about would be what happened in our village.
Very true!