This week, in my limited exposure to the news, I’ve been warned of “potential disasters and existential crises” caused by:
- The Debt Ceiling Crisis/Stand-Off
- The War In Ukraine dragging the US into Nuclear War with Russia
- Social Society and Medicare Insolvency
- Global Warming And Climate Disaster
- Microplastics Found In Everything Including All Food And Water
- AI Could Destroy Humanity
These were six I was able to bang out off the top of my head. If I opened Google News, I could list dozens more.
The thing is, I can’t do anything to address any of these “potential disasters“.
I mean, literally, nothing.
They are outside of my influence of control. Some are presented as inevitabilities.
I could pretend I have some influence. I could try to convince myself that recycling, driving less, voting, donating to political causes, and protesting makes a difference.
Except, I choose to live in reality. The reality is I can’t do sh*t about these.
So I skip the news podcasts, skim past the headlines and barely give any of these issues more than a passing glance.
There are other area where I can make an influence.
- I can call my mom to check on how she’s doing after having to put her dog down.
- I can reach out to a friend who’s money after a break-up.
- I can help another friend by doing an interview for his podcast.
- I can make a vet appointment for Wiggles annual exam and a vaccine that’s due.
- I can dog sit for a neighbor who’s going on vacation.
And so, this is what I do. I’ve got enough to worry about right here, right now.