I was feeling so introspective earlier. It wasn't hard to do after a busy weekend, with finally a few quiet minutes and a thought-provoking sermon when Maggie and I made it to church this morning. The sermon was about anxiety and unfortunately, didn't offer any real remedies. I think the best thing I took from it is, "Hey, yeah. We're all anxious. That's because we're sane. Do what you can, and don't worry about what you can't...." Yeah. I know I oversimplify everything.
The other part of the sermon I really appreciated was Reverend Alex's description that when anxiety hits us, it's like a giant mallet ringing us like a bell. Then we go out and interact with others, and now-a-days, most of them are vibrating like a ringing bell too. If you're the one in a million that isn't anxious, all that vibration of everyone else's anxiety is going to bump into you and make you anxious too, most likely.
I could totally get what he was saying on that. I remember right after 9-11 I didn't want to leave my house. Not because I was afraid to, but because I felt like I was absorbing worry from those around me. It sounds weird to say it, but I can totally remember it. I think the way anxiety is hitting me now it's even more tangible. It's the foreclosed houses for sale, that you know are foreclosed by the notes on the door. It's the businesses advertising their final sales as they go under. It's the boarded up vacant buildings.
Lately, the least amount of anxiety I have is in my house. I make it a point to keep it that way. I don't watch the news and I don't even see much TV. PBS Kids keeps things light and cheerful around here, or music, or just Maggie's babbling. There's no point in worrying about things I can't do anything about, so I try to keep my focus positive.
5 comments:
Amen. I feel your pain. I see the homes every day on my way to work and hear the tales of woe in the event that I dare to turn on the news.
Food Network, HGTV and Sprout are my life. :) And ya know, a little Wii goes a long way in getting rid of pent up anxieties. :)
I actually get that "absorbing" comment. I didn't leave either. It's taken me this long to leave as much as I do.
I think you and I might be of the same cloth... that probably scares you a lot. HA!
Another funny thing? My pastor talked about anxiety yesterday.
Sounds like you have a positive attitude about the craziness that's going on around us these day. I've been feeling a little anxious myself lately. Thanks for the inspiring post.
It is crazy other there. I think you have the right idea.
I try not to take on other's worries. My reality is not bad and I'm happy living with that. I know things are bad out there, but I think a lot of folks just like drama and are expanding on stuff that isn't even their problem. Therefore, making everything seem a lot worse.... does any of that make sense?
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