A Little Good News for a Change

“You know, I could just use a little bit of good news for a change.”

This was my prayer on my walk this morning. Between the news and the noise and the horror and the heartbreak, the events of the past couple of weeks have been weighing heavy on my heart. So as the morning light poured through trees and the squirrles and bunnies scampered around, I talked to God about it.

A bit later, about a mile from home, I spied a small turtle crossing the street which instantly brought a smile to my face; seeing random critters in the neighborhood is always a source of delight for me. About that time a neighborhood lawn crew truck was coming down the street behind me, so I walked over to the turtle and shoo’d him along to the other side before lifting it up over the curb and setting it the grass. The driver gratiously paused and patiently waited for me to tend to my rescue mission and then smiled and waved as he drove on by.

As the driver pulled away an elderly woman rushed over to my side of the street. With pleading, watery eyes she asked me if I had seen her little white dog who had recently gotten out of the fence in her yard. And it just so happened that yesterday evening one of the ladies in my neighborhood group text shared a picture of a small white dog who was wandering around that part of the neighborhood. I showed her photo and she was overcome with relief and joy. I then connected her with the neighbor who found her beloved pet, and I was relieved to hear that Fiona was returned to her grateful, loving owner.

It was a little bit of good news for a change…an answered prayer in more ways than one.

As I set off on my way home, I stopped to love on a friendly gray cat with the most charming little bell attached to her collar. I also had a brief chat with a neighbor about the delightful, exuberant patch of black-eyed-susans growing along her driveway. Plus I indentified a red-shouldered hawk with my Merlin app and added it to my “life list”.

It felt like an embarrassment of riches.

When I got home, my heart felt so light and happy. And I’m sure the sunshine, fresh air, and movement had something to with that. But the more I’ve thought about this today, the more I keep thinking that this – these small, quiet moments of connection – is what it’s all about.

The problem is that small and quiet is the exact opposite of what the world is selling. Big and loud grabs our attention and keeps us scrolling on our devices, and while the small hit of dopamine we get might feel “good” for that fleeting moment, it robs our souls of the thing we actually need. The actual good things that are real and beautiful and true. Like kindness and love and wonder and peace and hope.

While I wouldn’t necessarily categorize it as work, seeking out the beautiful, the good, and the true requires that I intentionally reorient my focus. And today was a beautiful reminder of all the good things there are to be experienced when I do.

Love, Kelly