Matters of the heart

Does it really matter what we watch on TV, what we read in magazines, who we spend time with?  It matters possibly more than we understand.  If you set yourself a challenge to talk about, read and watch more positive than negative you will be surprised at the constant bombardment of negative, useless and untrue information we allow into our heart and mind.  This has a direct impact on our actions, thoughts, words and therefore our entire lives.

There is so much money directed towards healthy lifestyle messages, encouraging people to eat correctly and exercise to improve their health.  I think an equal amount of time and money should be given encouraging people to fill their hearts with true and good information, experiences and thoughts.  As the rates of suicide, divorce, depression, alcohol and drug addiction and gambling continue to rise it is fair to ask is there a better way.

The world is actually full of good, every single day we are surrounded by endless blessings that we often just don’t see.  Yes there is suffering and heartache, there is illness and death, there is poverty and abuse and we are constantly reminded of these things.  Why is that?  Why do we watch news bulletins and buy papers about wars, accidents, death and destruction.  I lived in a small country town in NSW and was good friends with the local journalist.  She was a good, kind person who tried to influence her community by printing more positive stories than negative.  I lived there for over four years and the only time the local newspaper sold out was when a fatal car accident was featured on the front page.  What does that say about us?

I use to love watching Dancing with the Stars but in the interest of trying to fill my heart with good I no longer watch it.  There is so much unnecessary name calling, drama and for the most part you are celebrating the misery and misfortune of other people.  It seems harmless, there are lots of beautiful people, fantastic sets, lots of jovial laughing and great music all in the name of entertainment so does it really matter.  I kind of think it does?

I even find it hard to take a genuine interest in politics at any level due to the constant personal attacks on the opposition.  If you want to fill your heart with good how it is possible to know what is going on in the world, do you have to become a hermit or become the most boring person known to mankind.  I don’t think so, but I have not completed the experiment so I can’t make any promises. I also think it is vital we continue to hear the cries of our precious brothers and sisters around the world who need us to fight for their food, freedom, dignity and safety.  Filling our heart with good is no excuse to not be compassionate or connected, it just means you obtain, process and act on information in a very specific and purposeful manner.

In my attempt to fill my heart with good I fall off the bandwagon regularly, I still participate in conversations that occasionally make a negative judgment or comment about somebody or something, I watch movies that are funny because they are making fun of others, I love stand-up comedy which is nearly always based on bagging a certain person, race, religion etc for a laugh.  I have a long way to go before I can say my heart is completely filled with good, but I am committed to trying.  I truly believe that by protecting our hearts from the negative our health, our relationships, our lives and ultimately our world will benefit greatly.