{"id":2885,"date":"2013-07-15T07:00:43","date_gmt":"2013-07-15T11:00:43","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.susanvogt.net\/blog\/?p=2885"},"modified":"2018-05-01T15:55:49","modified_gmt":"2018-05-01T19:55:49","slug":"36554-i-know-too-much","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.susanvogt.net\/blog\/36554-i-know-too-much\/","title":{"rendered":"365+#54: – I Know Too Much"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Days<\/a>We get 3 daily newspapers (Cincinnati Enquirer, New York Times, and the Wall Street Journal), at least 7 magazines, and I\u2019m an NPR junkie. This doesn\u2019t include countless email messages from causes I support. You\u2019d think this would make me an informed citizen. Lately, it has mostly made me discouraged and depressed about the state of life on earth. I know too much!<\/p>\n

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  1. First there are the global natural disasters<\/b> (floods, hurricanes, drought, tsunamis, tornados). These are bad but there\u2019s nothing I can do about them. Working on environmental issues to reduce global warming might help some but it\u2019s all very long range and usually far away.<\/li>\n
  2. Then there are all the international human-made disasters<\/b> (conflicts in Syria, Egypt, Turkey, Brazil, the Congos\u2026, building collapses in Bangladesh, human trafficking, curable illnesses that aren\u2019t cured for lack of money or government resistance, terrorism, corruption, economic collapse\u2026) I can be disturbed but most of these are still far away and beyond my ability to help.<\/li>\n
  3. Closer to home there is the political dysfunction within the US<\/b> government. Both parties have strong principles and a desire to win the next election. This means compromise is a dirty word since it might allow the party in power to make progress and thus it will be harder to defeat them in the next election. Addressing all the life issues including abortion, poverty, overuse of fossil fuels, immigration reform, gun control, decent health care and education for all, elimination of the death penalty, racism, violence, prejudice, and all the other isms are at a standstill. It makes me tired just starting this list. I\u2019m involved in some of these issues but they take political pressure from a critical mass of people and a fair amount of money to make a dent in the problems. I have limited time and money, so I choose a few to give my energy to. Watch FrontLines\u2019 Two American Families<\/a> \u00a0by Bill Moyer to get even more informed\/depressed.<\/li>\n
  4. There\u2019s the even closer problems in my own community and family<\/b> \u2013 ailing friends and schools, relatives who need help, worthy causes that need funding and attention . Here, gathered with my faith community and friends I can potentially make a difference, but it takes time.<\/li>\n
  5. Then there\u2019s everything to do with faith and the Church<\/b>. For all the good that religious institutions do (my own Catholic Church in particular) I also see the underside of scandal, hypocrisy, and fear of losing control.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Fortunately my personal life is pretty stable, but it would only take a family crisis, an illness, an accident, a loss of income, to have my family life trump the 5 above areas on my worry list.<\/p>\n

    So what to do? Wallow in worry and feeling overwhelmed? That\u2019s not helping anybody. Here are my
    \n5 WAYS TO STAY SANE & BALANCED WHEN I KNOW TOO MUCH:
    \n<\/strong>(The first 4 are the usual suspects. #5 is my personal response to “knowing too much.”<\/em><\/p>\n

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    1. Take care of my own physical and emotional well-being<\/b> so I can live to help another.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n