Tired of the negative reporting

News has been so negative in the recent months, I haven't posted since January. Reporting on the economy, missing children, increase in crime, murder, etc. can leave one numb with discontent.

Today, I would like to mention a story in the news that underscores what we can do for others while also trying to stay positive.

For his 90th Birthday, celebrated on St. Patrick's day, Father Maurice Chase visited Skid Row in L.A. and handed out $15,000 in cold hard cash to those most in need. Now that's thinking of others and staying positive!

While families are increasingly worried about surviving, employees fearful of layoffs, and others who were once at the top (through merit not greed) facing the most difficult era in their lifetimes, we all need to pull together and focus on what each of us can do as an individual to contribute to the greater cause.

Each night I listen to CNN Headline News on the way home and listen to callers calling in to comment on stories about Casey Anthony, or Chris Brown, they express their outrage at the AIG executives (well deserved). What would happen if instead of continuing to analyze, reanalyze and blame for the situations we see occurring around us, we took personal accountability to change the mind set from focusing on the negative to looking towards the positive?

If we focus on the things that are going right instead of worrying and being angry about everything around us that is falling apart, and commit to it, I wonder what would happen.

For my part, I try to greet every person from my building who I see on my way to and from work with a smile. Even if I don't feel like smiling, I realize I have a reason to smile, it's called a JOB.

I no longer look at my 401K statements or my son's college savings account. When I receive the statements they are promptly placed on top of the shredder. I've taken proactive measures moving forward to invest in money market funds, but there's nothing I can do about the ten years of savings placed in aggressive investments that have dwindled in less than a year. Instead, I look at the bright side and hope that in ten years, the stocks will once again be of value, if not, at least I have many years ahead until retirement.

Some of us are fortunate, others are not. But each of us can try to help each other. Donate your time, or money to those in need. Smile, open a door or let someone in during traffic. If you have a friend or neighbor that has been laid off, offer to bring them dinner, get their minds off of all of the worries even if just for a moment. If you have grumpy colleagues at work who are worried about losing jobs, remember when they get edgy with you to be patient...many, many people have stress that we can't see on the outside.

If we all work towards a little more patience, a lot less worry, a dash of hope and a heaping amoung of positive attitude for a bright future, we will make it to the other end in one piece. We might get there with less monetarily, but as long as we maintain our love for friends, family, community and each other, we will be rich in a more powerful way and we can pass that wealth on for free.