Good News

"Good Morning America" is showing some of the most heart-warming segments this week.  Yesterday it was about a man with 4 children -- one of whom has severe autism, and the man was going to be laid off from his job.  Another man stepped forward and asked them to lay him off instead.  So here he is -- at Christmas, looking for work and collecting his unemployment check. 

But he seemed to be SO at peace with himself.  When asked why he did it, he said that this man was his friend, and it was just the right thing to do.   And the family he helped -- oh, the gratitude!  One of the children, a girl about 10 years old, called him her hero and said it is the best Christmas present she will ever have.   

There are still so many examples of good people doing good things.  We just don't hear much about them.  It is to a large degree OUR fault.  We, as media consumers, would rather hear about economic doom-and-gloom forecasts and how many affairs some Hollywood diva has had.

But it makes us more cynical.  You ask the average person if conditions / morals are getting better or worse, and they will immediately say, "Oh, worse."  Really?  I can think of a couple of issues where it is getting worse (gay marriage seems to be more acceptable).  Abortion is still too common, but even more liberal people's views on it are changing.  And teens today are at least more aware of the need for abstinence than they were when I was growing up.  

And racism?  Maybe we are just blinded to how immoral that was / is.  And that from the "moral" 50s!  In a couple of weeks, we will swear in a black president.  I would say morally we have come a long way on this one.

So, let's get our chins up!  People as a whole are still good.  Life is still rich.  And we are blessed.  Let this be a joyous Christmas for you and your family.