Team Alpha 375

Dear Readers, Recently I saw a production of The Wiz at a local theater. One song that stayed in my mind was sung by Evillene, the Wicked Witch of the West, entitled No Bad News. The lyrics to this song are really commands to her subjects not to worsen her day by detailing any news that wasn't positive. Probably most of us can relate to this feeling and find ourselves desiring breaks from the media that seems, for the most part, only to deliver "bad news." Looking at this from a different perspective, however, it is not so simple to remove ourselves from the equation. Sticking our heads in the sand, running for shelter, turning off the television, computer, radio, etc., simply does not undo the news. We may receive a brief respite, yet the news is still the news and we are a part of it in the making. Do things in your immediate world escalate out of control? Do you help or hinder the process? If bills are unpaid and accounts in arrears, is the world the culprit or are you also part of the problem? When we look within to understand what is happening in our external world possibly we find that we have contributed to the making of the problem. Finger pointing is always easy, and a world wherein we are equipped with blinders not only shields us from the bad, but from the good we could envision as well. Sometimes, by exposing the problem and having society look at it dead center saves us from beating around the bush. Knowing what we are dealing with is the very first step to solving any lingering problem. Define the problem, and then you can begin the process of creating a solution. Sweep a problem under the rug and it will begin to grow until you finally wind up tripping over the bulge in the carpet. Why not diagnose the problem correctly from the onset, and recognize that suffering precedes healing? Both are essential in the cycle of life. With that said, let's focus on the positive to eliminate the negative. One can only exist because of the other. Be Your Very Best Always, Judy Williamson