Have you ever considered what the world would be like if bad things didn’t happen to good people? I know that may seem like an odd question, but I think the answer to it is powerful.
Here is my train of thought – Awful things happen to really good people. Sons or daughters die in traffic accidents; children are kidnapped and then killed; medical diagnoses are given to vibrant alive people and over time life oozes out of them and we are left with memories not their presence; fires, wars, economic crises, the list of bad things is far too long.
However there are those who take these horrible, unspeakable events and turn them into positives for the rest of us. There are the Gilda Clubs, free services, resources and support for families dealing with cancer. These were started as a result of Gilda Radnor’s unsuccessful fight against ovarian cancer and because it was identified just how much people and their families struggling with the disease needed information, nurturing and a safe place to talk about their fears and needs. There is the hugely popular and successful show “America’s Most Wanted” founded by John Walsh as a result of his son Adam’s kidnap and murder. This show and website have contributed to the arrest and prosecution of literally dozens of criminals who have committed revolting crimes against the most defenseless of our population, children. There is MADD which is described as “We’re dads and daughters, sons and uncles, friends and neighbors. And mothers.” And their mission “is to stop drunk driving, support the victims of this violent crime and prevent underage drinking.” The organization was founded out of anger and loss of children because of drunk drivers.
These are just three instances where the “bad thing” that happened to one or more good persons generated a groundswell of support to rally for a cause. For some it is turning pain into action. For others is it the fervent hope that what happened to them never has to happen to someone, or their families. Regardless of the rationale, the outcome is the birth of activism surrounding a particular concern or evil. It is a small group of people saying we can make a difference for others.
Margaret Mead put it this way, “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.” The individuals responsible for the groups mentioned above, and countless other positive responses to horrible life events, have risen above their pain, loss, anger, and despair to bring new meaning to what they had to endure.
We are the beneficiaries of those efforts in two ways. First, there are resources for us if ever we have to travel the road they traversed. They have made it easier to connect, to learn, to feel less alone in our darkest moments. But they also have taught us what our response can be if something tragic enters our lives. We may have moments of extreme anguish, but if we choose, we can channel that deep emotion into positive actions to help ourselves and, at least as importantly, help others who must walk the same path.
Bad things are happening at work for many of us. These are compounded by other bad things that are happening around us, in our neighborhoods, in our places of worship, in our communities. Some people are hunkering down hoping that the storms of despair and loss will simply blow over the top of them and leave them relatively untouched.
We can not always choose what happens to us, but we can choose our response. We can choose to have those life-altering events become catalysts for the good things that people need when the bad things happen. These are good questions for us to ask – what am I doing to make the bad times a little more bearable for others; what need do I see that I can meet; what can I call upon my better nature for strength and positive action in this time of distress?
