These days, if one dares to turn on the television and especially a news channel, they are going to be bombarded by political, economic, social, climatic, militaristic and world troubles that seem to be accelerating by the hour. The internet is no better and offers even more chaos and confusion for the reader to sift through, trying to determine what is real from artificial intelligence, while trying to stay sane in the process. There are so many online scams that it can make a person feel anxious to surf the web or buy something online.
Looking back over the last few decades, the tempo of this chaos seems to have increased in both speed and ferocity. What happened to the idyllic times when life moved at a slower pace, when a handshake was enough to do a deal, when your “word” counted for something, when people were more kind and compassionate of each other regardless of personal views or political leanings.
I remember as a kid growing up in a small town in Michigan. The vast majority of my neighbors were very friendly. As kids, we ran and played in many of the neighbors’ yards that were situated along the lake. We spent the days outside and played like there was no tomorrow. Today, if kids ran along those same lakefront yards, they would probably be yelled at for trespassing. What happened to the genuine kindness and tolerance that used to be more prevalent in our society? Back then, there were still the everyday troubles that were a part of life, but people in general seemed to be more relaxed and easy-going. Life was more like a gentle stream whereas today it seems more like a raging river.
Today, information overload is a real thing! I would not be surprised if a pharma company has not already given it a medical name and came up with a pill to treat it. These days, even when you go to the movies to relax, one still gets bombarded with advertisements from cars to pills, which is far from relaxing.
Taking all this into consideration is a daunting task, stretched thin by the constant flow of information, workload, family life and the relentless activity of keeping up with your kid’s scholastic, social and athletic programs. Stress has become a chronic issue for this modern age. If left unchecked, it can metastasize into more severe health problems. So many people take pills, marijuana and alcohol to help them cope and get through a day, which is unfortunate as they only mask the underlying issue and do not deal with the root cause of the dis-ease. We may even be addicted to activity and chaos and may not even realize it. In short, life in this current age seems to move close to the speed of light and it does not appear to be slowing. I bow down in praise to all mothers who are the true multitaskers and superheroes. I dare say superman would pale in comparison to modern age mothers and what they must do to keep a household together.
So, how do we go about finding real peace and happiness in a world that is full of chaos? Fortunately, there are things we can do to help restore peace of mind and happiness.
- We need to understand that this world and everything in it is constantly changing and evolving. Although it may not seem like it, it is.
- The endless drama of this world will continue to amaze, disappoint, and confound us with its ever-changing perplexities. It has been doing this for eons and will continue to do so. The key is not to take this drama of life too seriously, otherwise we get angry, frustrated, depressed, and lost in the endless drama. There is an ancient saying “Wearing the world like a loose garment.” Learning to let go and live detached from this dream is paramount to inner peace and happiness.
- Believe it or not, there is a divine plan for this universe and all its inhabitants.
- If we are feeling overwhelmed, we can stop what we are doing, take a few deep breaths, exhale, and mentally let it all go. Deep breathing while stressed can work wonders. Then we ask God to bless and guide our thoughts, words and actions to help bring forth His goodness for all concerned.
- Learning to laugh at ourselves and the problems of life. As a teenager, I can remember going on a 30-day intensive spiritual retreat in the mountains of Quebec. One of the lessons we learned was to dedramatize and laugh at ourselves. At the time, I was overly serious and thought such stuff was nonsense. After practicing it for some time, I saw the value of laughing at myself and all the issues that can pop up on a daily basis. These days, when I get too serious or things start going sideways, I usually start laughing. It is far better to laugh than getting angry, screaming or crying, which does not solve anything and makes matters worse. Also, it helps to release stress. Basically, don’t sweat the small stuff. “Hint” it’s pretty much all small stuff!
- Lastly and most importantly, learning to go within in prayer and meditation. Since God is the sole creator of this amazing dream called life, he knows exactly how we are suffering and how to help. He knows our needs before we ask and is always ready to help. When the storms of life gather, all we need to do is sincerely pray to God as we understand him, asking to free us from the obstacles of delusion and to fill us with his endless rays of wisdom, peace and strength. Always remember, God’s grace flows effortlessly into humble minds and hearts.
So, my fellow readers, as we move into 2026, I hope you continue to build your spiritual foundation on the everlasting rock of spirit. As children of spirit, you deserve to be happy, joyous and free. May your new year be filled with the many blessings of spirit and may you know calmness even in the midst of this chaotic world.
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