It's 6:15 a.m. in Flagstaff, Arizona. My iPad displays several notifications ... but wow - they were surely unbalanced. First listed was the top news story:
"1,000 dead in Afghanistan after earthquake"
The next item was:
"The show that's going to end on Netflix."
Earthquakes & Netflix should not be on the same page ... one so serious ... one so trivial.
A siren sounds in the background of the quiet Arizona morning as I ponder life, staring at God's majestic mountains in the distance. I am relishing in a fresh mug of coffee sitting in a black wooden rocker on a small balcony while someone is being rushed to the hospital, aided by paramedics, or whatever other emergency was happening for that rescue vehicle to be speeding toward or from.
Those poor dear people in Afghanistan are reeling from the effects of an earthquake which literally rocked their world, snatched people away whom they love, ruined their homes, scattered their belongings. They will feel the effect of this disaster for months and even years. Their heartache will last forever.
Serious stuff.
I look down at my fake white fingernails and think how asinine it is when we females become upset when we break a nail ... all while a mother fights to find her lost child amidst the horrific chaos in an earthquake or the craziness in which the Ukrainians are attempting to survive.
injustices ... imbalances ... curses
Why do we focus on such wee details, such as a broken fingernail or a Netflix show being cancelled? Is it in self-preservation so as not to "take on" the horrible incidents, gore, tragedy, sadness, which we hear happening around the world? As we read and attempt to digest the information barraging us from social media, TV, radio, and newspapers?
The sun rises a little higher as I give gratitude for it having awakened me on a fresh day. Anything ... anywhere ... anytime ... can happen to anyone. We know it, yet we get on with our day and we pray and we hope it is a calm, good, balanced, and blessed one ... without an earthquake or a siren or a lost child.
The broken nail we can handle.
We humans are on our toes though, right? We understand - or we don't - that there are imbalances, injustices in our world - in our town - in our city - in our state - in our neighborhood. It is very easy to carry those along with us. To worry, to cry, to be sickened, to feel helpless - and vulnerable. We also accept the blessings in between (or at least - we should).
We can adjust our iPad's notifications, scroll past news headlines on our phone, and skip reading the bad stuff on social media. We have the power to NOT turn on the TV to watch the agonizing news. We are able to pick up a newspaper to read only our horoscopes, maybe do a crossword puzzle. And yet enough trickles into our vision - and hearing - and hearts - enough to haunt us - to scare us - to keep us aware.
It is in the stupid trivial details of life which save us, preserve us, protect us. Sure, tell me more about Netflix shows ... but don't show me photos of the earthquake. Earthquakes & Netflix should not be on the same page.
Keep giving thanks. Keep showing the gratitude. First thing we can do as we wake up to face the imbalances of life.
