I had a conversation recently with one of my daughters. She remembered how, when they were young, I used to watch the nightly news. Our days had a routine: I’d pick them up from after school care, drive home, and I’d get updates about their day along the way. Our connection would continue as I made our dinner, which we’d later enjoy as a family.
In between our arrival at home and enjoying our meal, I listened to every morsel of the evening news, starting at six each night. Sometimes I would even get a little cranky about interruptions. Eventually, I opted to tape the news and watch it after my kids went to bed because I felt guilty about not being present for them. Truth be told, I also wanted to watch the news completely uninterrupted.
Some Things aren’t as They Seem
My passion for the news wasn’t as much about staying informed about current events as serving two other purposes, both probably more important to me even though I didn’t know it at the time. The demanding tasks of raising my family and pursuing a career required focus, multi-tasking, and forethought. My news hour fixation was a time for me to simply absorb information with no need to respond—a weird form of “me time.”
The other purpose was to help me have a bigger picture of my life and the world. Watching the news reminded me that more was going on in the world than work deadlines and what I needed to cook for dinner. I wasn’t aware at the time how skewed that version of the world was, but that really isn’t the point. I think we all like to have a sense of where we fit in.
Some Things Change
I don’t watch the news anymore. Sure, I read headlines in my digital paper every day, but I rarely click on an article. I have a different approach to understanding where I fit in. And my “me time” is more deliberate and introspective. It includes meditation, which also helps to inform my sense of relationship to the cosmos—the interconnectedness of the universe.
Reflecting back on that time in my life, and looking at where I am now, it’s an interesting contrast between that me and this me. My perspective is so very different now, which makes me wonder about where the journey will take me into the future. Is it possible to have that big of a shift from where I am now? Are there beliefs that are keeping me from continuing to expand? I’m sure there are—I just haven’t uncovered those yet. The wonderful thing is, once I do, I have a way to change them to support the growth rather than resist it.
Speaking of Change
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