Friday, August 31, 2012

Proof There Is Goodness In The World

 I turn off even the radio anymore. People cannot be as mean as they sound! Has the whole world gone mad? Accusing "the other side" of lies, greed and a false agenda of hope? It seems that way sometimes, but I know that is not always true. Like last week, when we took our son back to college we also attended the campus Mass. He goes to a secular school and yet at 5pm on a Sunday there were many many students at Mass. 18, 19, 20 21, 22 years old. Reverently reciting the prayers, singing the songs and receiving Holy Communion. No parents forcing them to go to church. Young beautiful souls worshipping at Mass because they wanted to. Such an inspiring sight to witness. That is hope for tomorrow and for the future.
Last night was our high school back to school night for the parents. The teachers informed us they want these students to succeed, in high school and in life, and they will do anything they can to help accomplish that goal. Give their time and energy and anything else it takes. They care!  Not for a paycheck, status or whatever the media glorifies...they teach because they want our kids to be smarter and make the right choices and be better people. This is hope for the world.
Yes, I saw the goodness in the world. Guess all I really have to do is look.

85 comments:

  1. Annmarie, We have to have HOPE. It keeps us going when things look bleek. Best wishes to your son in his new school. Smiles, Susie

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  2. It is such a heartwarming thing when we actually spot goodness, especially when we're convinced it can't possibly exist. Great post!

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  3. I'd like to see it because it kind of slaps me in the face though. Like when you see a car off the road in a freezing river on the news and people are surrounding the scene while total strangers dive into the frigid waters to save the lives of the occupants. That's the goodness I love to see, the kind that you just can't miss!

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  4. I agree with you, there should be more goodness around, I'm seick of hearing bad news. We need fres information about what good had happened.
    Kisses
    Aga

    Check my new post
    www.agasuitcase.com

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  5. I am a firm believer that there is more good than evil in the world- it's just that the negative things get so much more air time...because GOOD is not news worthy or ratings worthy. Blessings- xo Diana

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  6. Well said, turn off the radio and the TV, watch the birds, the flowers and life...the good kicks the bad's butt.

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  7. I agree with NanaDiana. I, too, believe there's more good than evil, but it's often hidden for the reason NanaDiana gave. When I was teaching journalism, I would tell my students to look for more positive stories as well. There's good there if we seek it out.

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  8. My daughter goes to a "church" college and I am always so happy to drop her off! The young adults there are so happy and make such good choices. yes, there is definitely good out there!!

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  9. People usually find what they are looking for. If you look for goodness and kindness you usually find it. Looking for bad stuff? You'll find it, I'm sure.

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  10. I agree that there is more good than evil in the world too! But the only thing in the news most of the time are bad things. =/

    Glad that your son is going to a school with caring teachers!

    xoxo ♥ Shar

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  11. Hope is what makes the world go round. We have to hope that people are good and that the good ones outnumber the bad ones.

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  12. How wonderful that so many turned out for Mass.

    The world can be depressing if we let it get us down. But we have to keep hoping for the good to shine through.

    New post:
    http://www.i-soph.com

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  13. It is nice to be reminded though.
    Jane x

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  14. A very heartwarming post! There is definitely goodness in the world!

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  15. WOW, very nice :)

    XoXo
    http://abudhabifood.blogspot.com

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  16. There IS hope... sometimes it's just hard to find it.

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  17. I agree that when I look around I can see goodness everywhere. Such kind nice people in everyday America. I am trying to remain optimistic that the people in power can step back and look at what is good for our country and not what is necessarily good for protecting their jobs.

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  18. I try to see and hear only good things.
    I try to make people smile and I'm happy when I succeed.
    I don't care about TV or radio. There you hear many bad things.
    I prefer to read or learn something.
    And YES there are good people in the world.
    And they care.
    Have a lovely day Annmarie! :)

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  19. I am so glad you saw the goodness in the world. I haven't seen it for a while and I begin to lose perspective and start to become a grouchy old woman. I think it ages me. I want to be the smiling, laughing woman, but not one with her head in the sand. Thanks for this uplifting post for this holiday weekend. (but my college does not give us Monday off.) :)

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  20. Annmarie, There is plenty of goodness out there. We live in East Tennessee and almost every newscast has plenty of people helping people stories, or kids just doing the right thing...which helps offset the bad stories. One of the problems is that most of the media picks up on the negative stuff that happens and that's what we hear all the time. Personal "train wrecks" sell and they attract viewers. Much of our 'reality' TV is proof of that fact. On a daily basis I am impressed at the amount of low profile goodness that I see around us. There is hope! Take Care, Big Daddy Dave

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  21. there is def still goodness in the world...and great when we can recognize it for sure...cause there are def a lot of shadows as well...

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  22. Yay teachers! Yay young worshippers! Yay for positive things in our world! Good DOES exist. :o)

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  23. Amazing what we find when we're not looking for it..I got a new follower! Thanks so much :) I'm YOUR newest follower. I hope to keep in touch!
    -Michele

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  24. So glad you found the goodness all around you!

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  25. Please send a bit of it over here, as currently am a bit stuck into the first.

    Please have you all a good new month.

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  26. Sometimes so hard to find too.

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  27. So true. The is goodness and gifts to be found everyday... We just have to look for them.

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  28. It's funny - when I witness good in the world it usually involves someone my kids' age or my grandchildren's age. The little ones especially are so inspiring with their sweet and simple faith.

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  29. Thanks for stopping by! Following back :)

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  30. I agree! I am so sick of hearing about politics and their political bashing. I don't even comment on blogs that post about it anymore.
    Faith and love of God will see us through! Love Di ♥

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  31. What an uplifting post today, Annemarie...thank you! There is hope - what a wonderful thought!

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  32. This was so nice our read today after hearing all the negativity in the news today. I'm getting to the point where I turn off the TV now and lately have even skipped reading the paper--it depresses me. This blog post came at just the right time! Newest GFC follower from the weekend blog hop. Would love it if you could visit and follow back via GFC! Thanks for sharing!

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  33. I agree too. And speaking of prayers, I so enjoyed and was moved by Cardinal Dolan's closing prayer at the Republican Convention..it was just perfect. It was such an honor to have him there.

    Have a wonderful, long weekend! xo

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  34. That is such an inspiring sight to witness... awesome!!

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  35. Yes, there is hope in the Savior. He shows us beautiful little miracles everyday. We just have to look for them. I am kinda gooey eyed today, posted pics of my little son!

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  36. Thanks for the reminder. I've got to turn the news off more and remember this blog instead.

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  37. Thank you so much for sharing this with us...so great to read that so many young people were in church!
    Blessings, Joanne

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  38. Sure, there's still lots of goodness and kindness in the world. It's just getting harder and harder to find any of it in the world of politics.

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  39. There's a little hope out there! Thank God : )

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  40. What an inspiring and amazing post!! How WONDERFUL!!!!!

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  41. I might be the downer here...but I think, b/c we live in a fallen world, decaying world, the negative will always be with us. The good news is that, in the end, God wins. Believers will endure, but this world is dying. It's Satan's playground. Having said that, we do need to look for and celebrate the positive while we can.

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  42. Working in a school I know that teachers don't do it for the pay-checks or the holidays....but for the love of the children and wanting to help them achieve...no matter what age they teach it is always the same no matter what the media tell us...i believe this for the world over!!

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  43. When the sky looks gloomy there's always silver lining up there.
    God will never allow evil to prevail.

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  44. You are right. I believe that we should see others with God's eyes.

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  45. Having hope and faith and eyes to see God working mightily is a gift. Yes, too many want to promote a negative agenda and we should be aware that evil is in the world, yet we must strive for God's plan.
    Great reflection!

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  46. Hello.
    Happy Saturday!
    Just stopping by to invite you to Blog Hop Saturday! You may enter any 2 links. Linky will open in just under an hour at at 9:00am. Hope you can make it!

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  47. It always pays to look at life with the glass half full! But you are right sometimes it seems like you really have to search. Hope you have a beautiful holiday weekend, Laura

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  48. What a beautiful post. Yes, I believe there is hope for the future. Our kids are much more caring and dedicated than some give them credit for being.

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  49. I always look for the good in people and I know that my daughter, Kelly did and that's why she chose teaching. I recently saw the movie "The Odd Life of Timothy Green" and was moved by it's message; forget it's synopsis that a 10-year old boy comes from the garden and look beyond the people in this world that truly get happiness from being kind.
    After reading your post this morning, I know why the apron chose you. Please email me your address and I'll lovingly send it out to you. XOXO

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  50. It is so nice when you see stuff like that. We always need to look for the good.

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  51. Beautiful post! Difficult sometimes to see the good, but it is out there- we just need to keep our eyes open.

    Jen

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  52. You have hit the nail on the head Annemarie. "All you have to do is look." If you look for the bad, all you will see is the bad, and for some reason the media wants us to see mostly the bad. Finding good isn't as hard as some would like us to believe. Thanks for sharing the good!

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  53. Yes lets look for GOODNESS remember the movie PollyAnna? The Glad town it is contagious we have to spread goodness, thanks for this reminder ;]

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  54. I find "goodness" face-to-face much more often
    than I do in sources once-removed from direct contact.

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  55. Hi! you should follow back at http://lefthandedideas.com :)

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  56. We do not know so much about the good things happening because they do not make good news. Neither do they make a good TV show. :-) Your post made me happy. :-)

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  57. I think if we tune in here, we can pretty much count on finding goodness. Your blog is always such fun to read!
    Liz

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  58. Oh yes, there is still good in this World! I wish that there was less bad! Have a blessed day dear friend, HUGS!

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  59. Wonderful story! I completely agree!

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  60. There is always hope. Lovely post. Have a good week.

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  61. As a retired teacher I thank you for this post. I wish all teachers could read it.

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  62. Being an educator myself, I saw beautiful in your post. Thanks for your kind words for the often-thankless work we do. ;)

    Happy seeing beautiful!

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  63. I see a lot of goodness in many people. There are a few bad apples out there but for the most part, they are good.

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  64. Thanks for mentioning teachers. I teach high school, and I can attest to the existence of many wonderful kind young people. They give me hope where the TV and radio news can not.

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  65. I love how you mentioned teachers! They spend so much time with kids and work so hard to help future generations. They are not given the credit they deserve. All of us have learned something from teachers and many of them go the extra mile!
    ~Jess

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  66. Sometimes I wonder why this old world doesn't just spin off into the sun and get it all over with, and then, like you, I see firsthand wonderful things still happen in real life.

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  67. This really touched my heart..

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  68. Teachers are so underappreciated. Thanks for recognizing them.

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  69. why I am so lucky...I have proof everyday of my life in this little town. My children and I share the same teachers often...they are probably a bit old for Betty, but not impossible.

    I know you are having a great day!

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  70. There are many good people in this world, we don't always hear about them.

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  71. We were just having this same discussion the other day! Thanks for a great post...

    Julie @ Naptime Review.

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  72. I just knew I would hear something inspiring out of this. Yes, there is good in the world when we look for it. Too much media focuses on all the bad going on everywhere. I like to look for the positive all around us--I know its there if we open our eyes to see what god wants us to see. = )

    Irish
    Dedicated2Life.com

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  73. There is hope and goodness in the world...lots of it..it is just unfortunate that the bad gets all the attention.

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  74. As a teacher, it is so nice to read a post like this and know that you have faith in us! I feel like too often we get judged, criticized (or yelled at!) because our intentions are misunderstood!!

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  75. Sometimes it's easy to get caught up in all the dismalness of the world that we forget there are people who want to change and shape the world and our people for the better!
    xoxo,
    Nikki at www.bedazzlesafterdark.com

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  76. Thanks for sharing because this type of thing is always good to hear. There's not enough good news out there...

    =)

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  77. Very interesting point. I place most of the blame on the media as they seem to highlight mostly the bad. If you ever watch a news program they will throw in a couple inspirational stories in the day but mostly it is about the bad going on in the world. When we connect to those near us we then see that its not as bad as it seems. Thank you for the visit and joining my blog I am now a subscriber to your. Autumn Blues Reviews

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