Let’s face it: The news, world events, general goings-on, it just isn’t always pleasant. Turning on the TV or logging onto the internet to better inform oneself about what’s happening in the world is to open up to a barrage of sadness, unrest, cruelty, and in many cases, flagrant lies and political spin. 

One of the toughest things about this incredible world we live in, where literally anything is right at our fingertips, is that often it’s just too much information. We see stories of horrible race relations, turf wars, good cop/bad cop accusations, and it’s hard to digest. And the kicker is, in this day and age it may not even be true. It’s so hard to know what to think anymore. Is the world really this cruel? Can these things you’re seeing with your own eyes be true? Or has the media slanted it to be more sensational? The short answer is “yes”. Yes it is, yes they can, and yes they do.

There’s too much bad, and not enough good. At least that’s the way it appears. 

So, it’s hard.

Eating Alone? Not In This Diner

But every once in a while you run across a story that restores your faith in humanity. Like a refreshing drink of water on a hot day, it’s exactly what you need at that moment. So I present to you the story of Jamario Howard, JaMychol Baker, and Tae Knight, three guys who were having dinner together one night at a diner called Brad’s in Oxford, Alabama. 

Also at Brad’s that night was a woman called Eleanor. She was eating alone, and Mr. Howard noticed her over there by herself. So, he said hello. He asked if he could sit down with her, and they got to talking. He learned that Eleanor was eating alone because she’d just lost her husband and that the very next day would have marked 60 years of marriage for them. Well, that was enough for Jamario to invite Eleanor to dine with him and his friends. She was delighted to share a meal with them and later he’d tell the world that this woman changed his outlook on life. 

Being Teachable Is Beautiful

Though that may seem like an extreme statement, it’s likely not hyperbole that she changed his outlook. To me it makes a lot of sense. We don’t tend to learn as much, stretch our mental legs if you will, if we’re hanging around people just like us. 

That’s why the news can be so dangerous and depressing. They are speaking directly to you on some level, stoking your fears, keeping you on the edge of your seat. That’s their job, to keep you titillated, but as some folks like to say: People who look through keyholes are apt to get the idea that most things are keyhole-shaped. We’re wise to make this observation in life and to consciously choose to go out of our comfort zone when we can. Talk to the stranger. Watch the news with the opposite views. Let life challenge and intrigue you, and you seriously might change your whole outlook with little more than a meaningful exchange with a fellow Earthling.