joyful2beeblogs

Dear Reader. During these times there seems to be so many horrible things happening to so many people.

People are starving because of cruelty; poverty; loss of jobs, money, possessions, family and/or homes. Hate, dishonesty, greed, revenge, ignorance and hunger for power drive politicians, racists, and terrorists to maim, kill, starve or traumatize innocent people.

There have been fires, hurricanes, tornadoes, floods, ice and snow storms robbing people of their homes, cars and lives. All seemingly worse than we remember.

The innocents: little children, pets, even wild animals, the sick, the elderly, have all been smitten by illness, abuse, cruelty and suffering. Depression, grief, helplessness, and feelings of futility abound. What can we do??

Many of us feel weighted down by a burden of pain for all of those suffering so many tragedies. The fact that you acknowledge these cruelties and evil and sincerely grieve for those who are suffering is a sign that you have a loving heart with a lot of empathy for your fellow beings.

I know the feelings. I sicken when I see pain and suffering. I sometimes feel the palpable pain and weep in response to the suffering of others.

But those tears don’t help others. They may serve as a vent for the grief we feel. But you know what? I would rather have these feelings than shut them off and not care or have compassion.

Those feelings are the call to do something. We have to accept the sadness and embrace it and then go out everyday motivated by the determination to not be cruel, thoughtless, mean, abusive or careless of the pain of others.

We who truly care are the ones who will make a difference for good. We feel these pains of our fellow lives (human, animal or otherwise, on this earth) because we are the bringers of love, light, hope, and whatever kind of support we can offer. We will give more love and see more opportunities to help others. Then we will nurture and grow more like our true selves; bringers of love, compassion, caring, and action, doing deeds of kindness.

Being kind is not hard to do. Keep your eyes and hearts open to what might come your way each day. Do every kind thing that needs to be done that you feel called to do. An example of kindness for pets could be to place water bowls in front of stores for dogs, who may be thirsty in the heat.

You can make a difference in someone’s life with a smile, with a helping hand, with a look of compassion, with a listening ear, with a donation of time, money, food, and/or gifts.

We can not cure the world’s problems, unless we are called to do that. Some people are called to use their whole life in the service of others. But most of us are called to live our lives daily as just regular everyday people, making a living and living as purposefully as we are able.

But we can also offer the intangible acts of sending prayers or positive thoughts and energy to those who are suffering. We all suffer sometime in our lives. When you had your time of suffering, was there something someone did that really helped you, that you will never forget?

One article I read suggested making kits of items to help the homeless. One could have soap, shampoo, a razor, a bottle of water, foods that have long shelf lives (tuna, chicken, fruits cups) that can be eaten uncooked, nuts, canned goods with pull tab openings, or a can opener.

A small warm blanket, poncho, or hat to protect them from the sun could help them when they are out in weather. If you go to a store with lots of inexpensive items, you can come up with your own ideas of what might be helpful. Just smiling and acknowledging someone on the street or as you walk by helps sometimes.

Any changes to be brought about will not be done by someone who doesn’t care. Those of us who care, love, feel the pain, frustration are the ones who will make things happen.

Yes, we can almost feel the pain our world and fellow beings are experiencing sometimes. So think of what actions you can take to make the world a better place and do at least one a day and do what you can do.