On New News

 

So much of what passes for news is not news. Lifestyle, publicity, disease of the week. Speculation on speculative finance. Propaganda, a feature since the tracts of the 16^th century if not the Roman walls. Currying fears, stoking angers, preening envies. Fake news is the lie direct, beloved of politicians and celebrities.

 You know why you absorb it. To see what’s going on, find connection, belong to the bigger picture. News tries to put this across. Still, if you can discuss the gloomy and frightful with yourself so much, surely you can find some light and love to ruminate too. What if you forgave yourself for every embarrassing and witless thing you ever published, speechified, or performed? It simplifies life.

The New Testament is new news. Many complicated explanations come forth around the miraculous healings, but what people are seeking is direct physical cure. “If you will, make me clean.” “Lord, that I might receive my sight.” “If I might touch but the hem of his garment…” People walk, leap, see, speak, recover their right mind, stand up after near-death, even death experiences. What maintains this today? New news. We can be part of the cure. “I will, be clean.”

On Productivity

 

The King has waited all his life for the work or destiny decided before his birth. But so have others. Those with genetic diseases, for example, a decision made at the time of conception. And one unknown perhaps for years, coming astonishingly as a sudden strike. Those who inherit unexpectedly from a will written without their knowledge. Those who unexpectedly fail to inherit.

Productivity. A process of time. And our role it. And a mystery. Does productivity mean we’re a product? Not necessarily something for sale, but something resulting. Resulting from many processes, acts and events. Something productive is that which produces.

This leaves us with what to produce. Lift-off takes a lot of energy. Some birds have to eat their own weight every day to keep up. Looking back at life, we cared so much about so many temporary things. So much time consumed in entertainment. Something to furnish our thoughts.

 What will we produce? What processes, acts, and events will we nourish or discourage? What results from our motivations and desires? More stress, ambition, confusion, casting of wide nets? Or more clarity, understanding, acceptance, and peace? More love, consideration, and care. Be productive. Love more.