While reading this New York Times article last week, a turn of phrase caught my attention “one sad nod and head shake after another.” While it was referring to the book, The Age of Grievance, I found it ironic in that it perfectly captured my experience having just read the paper. Every story was one piece of sad or bad news after another. Even the Arts section, which I save for last, so I might end on a positive or inspiring note, was riddled with critics tearing apart various movies and plays.
I had long given up reading the daily newspaper or watching the evening news for this very reason. Instead only turning the pages of the weekend editions. Perhaps I should move on from those as well.
The paper’s slogan since 1897 is “All the news that’s fit to print” is missing the obvious qualifier of “bad” before the word “news.”
Earlier in the morning, I was walking through my town. Children were heading off to school where just a handful of the over three million teachers would greet them. In hospitals across the country, over a million doctors would be trying to save or heal lives, aided by almost five million nurses providing more comfort and care. Eight million more folks would go to work to build our homes, bridges, and roads. Another ten percent of our workforce will labor to make sure the other 90% of us have food in our kitchen or on our plate. Each of these and so many more live lives that produce good in the world. Each life creating “news that is fit to print.”
I am not diminishing the hardship, tragedy and trauma that exists all around us. Just to note that this is not the whole sum of us. As I sit and write this, I see five volunteers working on our library garden, overhearing one comment enthusiastically how the flowers “smell so good.” Earlier a young father was helping his young son learn to walk. Another person was going towards the train with his guitar bag in his car to go bring music to someone’s ears.
Every day, we print our own newspaper of sorts. Each thing we say, share or do, represents an article of faith we put out into the world that others see – whether we realize it or not. Our readers may be limited to our family, friends, or strangers we interact with, but they are the readers of our news nonetheless.
What news do you see fit to print on the pages of your life?
Recently, I interviewed Professor Mark Rank, who studies and writes about issues related to opportunity. During our conversation, he noted that “hope” is the essential ingredient that underpins the American Dream. I see this play out in my own students. Recently, I gave them the assignment to create a timeline for what they hoped or expected over the next 30 years. It was brimming with hope and positivity. Looking forward to rewarding careers, starting families and giving back to their communities.
Theirs is the news I want to hear and read.
So as you move about your life this week, consider the news you see all around you and the stories you create for the rest of the world to read.
May both create nods of gladness and head shakes that move up and down rather than side to side.