Editorial: Don’t Be Afraid of the Light

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lot is happening lately beyond Greenwich’s borders that has friends and neighbors talking. There is an anxiety or fear that seems to have slipped into our lives and taken up residency. National politics (regardless of your party affiliation), the recent terrorist attacks and the horrific shootings of police officers, to name just a few, are filling our airwaves and our psyche with an onslaught of negative and violent stories. It can be overwhelming. We hear it wherever we are in town. It is almost as if we are getting too accustomed to these dark images and letting them consume us. We mustn’t.

Plato said: “We can easily forgive a child who is afraid of the dark; the real tragedy of life is when men are afraid of the light.” How right he is! Yes, there are bad things happening in the world these days. How we deal with that fear—stress, really—is important. It is when we do not manage it that it becomes debilitating. Our friend and Sentinel columnist the Rev. Dr. Heather Wright, together with her colleague George Faller, has just released a book called “Sacred Stress.” It is a fascinating look at how to use the stress we all face to actually enrich our daily lives. It is a good read. You should pick up a copy at the Christ Church Bookstore.

We also think you should unplug the TV, turn off the iPad, and put your phone down. We have become too reliant on looking at screens for information. We forget that, by looking at one another and talking, we can actually share information that is helpful in our daily lives. Hopefully someone has told you that Sandy’s Vegetable Stand (best corn in town!) has moved and is now in the parking lot of The Sportman’s Den on River Road. Also, the annual Whiffle ball tournament is this Saturday at the polo fields at Conyers Farm.

C. S. Lewis wrote: “What you see and what you hear depends a great deal on where you are standing. It also depends on what sort of person you are.” If you are looking for the negative and violent stories you will find them. However, the great stories are there too, especially here in our town. We know that our elections in town this fall will not be based on negative campaigning. Each candidate running is a good person and knows that negative campaigning has no place in our community.

We also know that the Greenwich Police Department works incredibly hard to engage with our entire community. Through outreach events like Police Day at the headquarters to their regular Coffee with a Cop program to just being in our neighborhoods and talking with residents, they are building relationships and connections.

While we cannot imagine a situation like Dallas occurring in Greenwich, our hearts do hang heavy for the officers who lost their lives and their families. We also say a quiet prayer of thanks for all of our officers here in Greenwich who never know exactly what kind of situation they are walking into when they answer a call or pull someone over. Thank you to each and every Greenwich police officer for protecting our community and to their families for their service. We know that every time they walk out the door you worry, and that when they walk back through the door there is a quiet sigh of relief.

Yes, there are bad things happening in the world. You can focus on them, but doing so will not help you lead a fulfilled life. Heather Wright writes in her book: “Our lives can be so much healthier if we think positively about stress and use the vulnerability it creates to strengthen our relationships.” Agreed. Build on your relationships with others; talk, listen, share, love. These will help you get through these difficult times.

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