I'm working hard to stay open to the onslaught of negative / crazy / crazy-making (and very real) news that surrounds us every day -- without losing myself in the mayhem.

I used to block it all out. I stopped reading the news in March 2002, when the U.S. went to war in Iraq. But that's not sustainable, so I had to find a balance between being aware and being overwhelmed. Thich Nhat Hanh's book Good Citizens was a great resource to me in finding that balance. That's the good news! I found some balance. But it's not a static thing, and sometimes I have to work harder to remember how my choices every day can help impact the world I want so much to live in (which doesn't seem to resemble much the actual world, TBH).

So right now, on the verge of feeling overwhelmed, I'm focusing on a little "spread happiness" campaign that keeps me sending notes to and sewing little gifts for people I'm thinking about. Creative, handmade, positive vibes... crafting a better world, one zipper pouch at a time. ;)