In Your Face...
Generally I try to avoid the news because of my new found anxiety disorder. Not having the news on 24/7 is definitely new to me, I used to be a complete news junkie. There was rarely a news story I hadn't heard. Not anymore. Now the news induces panic. I cannot bare to hear about all the misery in the world. All of those horrible things could happen to me or worse my children. Seeing a story makes my mind wander into dangerous territory so for my own sanity I have started avoiding it.
This morning was different. I was flipping through channels and came across Good Morning America's coverage of a boy who was lit on fire by several other kids for ratting one of them out to the police for theft. The story made me literally ill. It started with feeling nauseous and ended with me sitting in bed with tears rolling down my face. What kind of animals could set another child on fire? What is wrong with this world?
The young boys name was Michael and my tendency to put myself into every tragedy reared its ugly head. My stillborn son's name was Michael. Matthew's twin. The Michael on tv had beautiful blond hair and piercing blue eyes. Just like my Matthew and what my Michael would have looked like. My mind wandered from there.
So, what I am struggling with internally is do I force myself to watch the news and feel all the horrible emotions and anxiety that sit right under the surface or do I tune out, bury my head in the sand and pretend the world around me is a safe place where no evil or tragedy comes to anyone? Is this 24 hour in your face news healthy for the human race or can our minds only process small amounts. Suffering has happened for the ages but it wasn't always a click away. Has that skewed our perception of life and our place in this world?
Deep thoughts for a Wednesday.
http://abcnews.go.com/video/playerindex?id=9172454
3 comments:
Ugh, I don't know if I can watch that video but I often wonder the same thing when I see coverage of senseless violence and intollerance and hatred and greed and suffering. I get my news from the radio, mostly. I find that hearing the news is a little easier when I don't have to see it, too. But I guess, in general, I figure that knowing isn't always making me a better person. There's a difference between turning a blind eye and protecting your heart.
I chose to stop reading the newspaper for the same reasons. I know what's going on, but I can't take the daily onslaught of details.
I check the news online to keep abreast of things, but that's it.
Yeah, I won't watch that one....
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