A lot has been 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, assassination attempts, the economy, and the war in Ukraine, just to name 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 go in town. It is almost as if we are getting too used to these dark images and are 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, Reverend Dr. Heather Wright and her colleague George Faller released a book called Sacred Stress. It is a fascinating look at using the stress we all face to actually enrich our daily lives that has value. It is a good read. You should pick up a copy at the Dogwood Bookstore at Christ Church.
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 that we forget that by looking at each other and talking we can actually share information that is helpful in our daily lives. Take the time to be present not only in your own life, but others as well. It is too easy to get lost in a screen. We are forgetting the benefits of actually having conversations with people.
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. We have seen it happen before. Negativity feeds on negativity. We choose not to engage with our community in a negative manner.
We also know that our Police Department works incredibly hard to engage in a positive manner with our entire community. Through outreach events like Police Day at the headquarters recently, to just being in our neighborhoods and talking with residents, they are building relationships and connections. While we cannot imagine a situation like a mass shootings occurring here in Greenwich, our hearts do hang heavy for all officers who put their lives in harm’s way protecting others. 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 that, but that 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 quiet actions will help you get through the difficult times and not be afraid of the light.
