ATTITUDE ADJUSTMENT

I didn't want to listen to the breaking news anymore. It was becoming increasingly worse. More young people in Orlando lost their lives than initially thought. The whole thing sounded fishy to me. Election year. Latinos. Gay Pride. "Hanging Chad" Florida. I couldn't help wonder if the whole thing was some awful, evil conspiracy. Every time I heard that people had obediently followed the "If you see something, say something" mantra, but it didn't stop the violence, I just wanted to cry. Somebody dropped the ball. Whoever the music editor is for the news outlets, he or she deserves an award. The news was heartbreaking enough. The music was positively depressing. I was feeling angry and sad. I needed to take a break from it. Fortunately, I could.

I decided to go outside and plant the flowers I'd bought. I don't know if they're going to thrive and spread all over the place, stay neatly in the pots, or be eaten by the deer family that drops by from time to time, but sitting on the steps, enjoying the sun and the breeze, and handling the flowers was one of the most relaxing things I've done in a long time. I took two of the four I'd bought to the back porch and planted them in two planters that had been empty for a while. It was nice to open the blinds and see them on the patio this morning.
Sometimes, all you need to do is create a little beauty in the midst of ugliness.