Looking at the news in these tumultuous times, I doubt that things will ever be ‘okay’ again, if they ever were. We all have our personal conflicts, and this extends globally, in various ways.

My tendency when reading crap by someone with mistaken ideas on politics, is to formulate talking points to refute them. But perhaps the desire to correct others, to ‘improve’ them, is part of the problem. Lord knows that reason is not of primary consideration in the holding of opinions. People are capable of logic, but only sparingly, in sporadic bursts, and rarely when needed.

There is one solution to bleakness that I glimpse every so often: Radiate joy in what you do. Because that really is all anybody could do. And the great thing about this is, in the midst of this joy-radiating, changing another person’s mind is among the least of one’s cares.

The challenge is to be doing something of which one could radiate joy. We’re so used to compromising, that most of our hours are spent for the sake of some ‘other.’ And each of us would have a different idea of what constitutes fulfillment. But if we are receptive enough, I believe that we find something that doesn’t just make us better, but serves some social benefit, if only by our being an example to others.

We are quick to give credit to those who help the sick and the poor in obvious ways. But there is also much good that comes with something as ‘trivial’ as art. After all, we don’t just need our bodies to be tended. We also need a meaning to it all.

If through my art, I could provide others with what I know to be good and true, and this makes them like people a bit more, including themselves, then it’s a start, at least.