Balance. Purpose. Enlightenment.

Earth Day 2017: Good News Revisited


Our fourth blog post, 16 months ago, was “The Day the News Brought Peace of Mind.” We want to revisit it for two reasons. First, the newspaper is bringing us more and more unhappy news now, and we need a break. And second, that post talked about Earth Day, 2015. Today is Earth Day 2017, and tomorrow, the Lemurian Fellowship is manning a booth in Balboa Park to honor this event. We hope many of you can come by!

The morning paper 16 months ago arrived as usual, but the news was anything but.

The front page headlined the 60th anniversary of a group called I Love a Clean San Diego, just completing their annual Creek to Bay Cleanup. They’ve done hundreds of cleanups, removing over 200 tons of litter a year. They believe education can make people want to change their behavior. “We don’t support propositions, bans, or lawsuits,” they said. A surfer added, “They do a really good job of showing people what they can do, instead of what’s wrong with the world.” A deeper understanding of service.

This group joined an Earth Day parade that attracted 60,000 people to Balboa Park and the 300 environmentally friendly exhibits at the EarthFair. Organizers say it’s the world’s largest free environmental fair.

Also on the front page, after declaring for weeks that it would have to close, the San Diego Opera decided it would do whatever it takes to remain in business after all.

There was an inspiring story about a local Ramona pharmacist who decided to check on an elderly customer who hadn’t picked up his prescriptions. His calls unanswered, he drove to the man’s home, and when his knocks brought no response, called the sheriff. Inside, they found the man lying in the bathroom after a fall two or three days earlier. He’s glad to be alive now, thanks to an alert young man thinking about helping others.

These stories caught our eye and raised our spirits. Oh, there was other news, little noted and unremembered – bad weather cut through several states, hospital errors were up, there was a killing somewhere – the kind of story you find every day. But why make ourselves miserable scouring the globe for the most upsetting world conditions, then beating them to death every night on the news? How does this bring greater peace of mind? If we think so much about catastrophes, are we becoming more afraid, even attracting a disaster of our own?

One Lemurian said recently, “I used to listen to the news on my way to work, and was filled with anxiety over all I heard. Listening to the Lemurian Viewpoint CDs is a much healthier way to start my day.”

“As a man thinketh in his heart, so is he,” wrote James Allen.

So what shall we think about? The choice is ours. The troubles of the world? Or all the good that positive, hopeful, and ingenious men, women, and children do every day in spite of the trouble and unhappiness around them? Who do you want to think like? Who do you want to be like? Who do you want to be?

Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. – Paul the Apostle

Copyright © 2017 Lemurian Fellowship

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