This may sound extreme, but I urge you to stop reading The News. Do not read, listen to, or watch any national or international news for a week. If you live in Florida, you will want to stay connected to the local report just in case there is a sink hole on the next block or the alligators have organized and are headed for town; but other than that, take a break from the worries of the world. There was an article in this morning’s paper. STOLEN PARROT RETURNED BUT TRAUMATIZED. Who can awaken to headlines like that and not shudder? The victim was taken from a pet shop and was later found. The incident was a labeled a ‘drug related crime’ leaving readers unsure if that meant that the thief was acting under the influence of drugs or intended to sell the parrot to buy drugs. Please clarify, the world needs to know.
It has been suggested that reading the paper gives people a sense that their life is good compared with the news. This is true. I read about a man who was knocked off of his fishing boat by a sea lion. A sea lion then dragged him under the water. I don’t do potentially dangerous things like fishing and my problems certainly do not reach that magnitude.
A very sick crime occurred in rural Florida several years ago. A local radio news reported that a pregnant goat had been stolen and replaced with a nonpregnant goat. I love living in North Florida, but I recently read that a local church group believes that cats can be demon possessed. They have been linked to the death of area household pets. Now this does warrant reporting. If someone thinks my little kitty Sabrina is an agent of Satan, I want to know. Because I am a ‘Believer’ for me this is very confusing. Let’s take a deep breath, wait a minute and suppose that they are correct. I am not necessarily convinced that pets can be demon possessed but let’s assume that neighborhood cats have been demonized. Is killing them the answer? What ever happened to the power of prayer? I acknowledge that there are dark forces at work on planet earth, but would I kill a demon possessed cat? No more than I would steal a parrot or replace a pregnant goat with a non-pregnant goat.
Another favorite news article from my cache of news trivia, involved a crime worth bringing to public attention. There is someone who holds the slob bar so high that the average mess pot cannot compete. A recent news article described an apartment that was condemned by the Health Dept. because there were hundreds of rats which could have been eliminated if the resident had taken out the trash, but they had not done this for over ten years. Who likes to take out the trash? I do it. I don’t like to do it but something deep inside tells me that the consequences are not worth the risk. My ideal garbage solution is condo living where you put the trash down a shoot next to the elevator.
A friend from Maine shared a copy of her town paper with me. I enjoyed reading about a hardy elderly woman who found a dead chicken frozen under her house. She brought it inside, put it in the microwave and then gave it CPR. The chicken lived. When I excitedly shared that story at a CPR training class, the response was a long awkward silence. In order to eliminate news trauma, I stay informed with moderation. I watch Guy’s Grocery Games, Chopped, and Beat Bobby Flay. If there is a food crisis, I will be ready.
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