The power of words

Ok, this one has really got me cranky, so you'll have to forgive that its not going to be a light of fluffy post.

Let's start with the appalling tragedy of the floods in Queensland - so many people have died, so many lives disrupted, people still lost, hearts broken, minds disarrayed. Oh, most will recover, and buildings can be repaired, but the spirit is harder to lift .. particularly when the media is busy helping everyone feel miserable.

Ah the media. Tell me something .. why is it so important to focus on all the truly unhappy things that are happening? Where are the hero stories? Where are the people who are making the best of the situation? Oh, I know you mention them in passing .. but your questions for the people that you interview "tell us all about how deadly the water was as it swept towards you?" "how terrified were you as you watched it come to sweep you (your house) away?" How deadly, how terrified, how horrible, how much you will suffer ... can't you think of anything else but playing up the disaster for the entertainment of the voyeurs avidly watching the tv from the safety of their couches? Oh I know the ratings are important, they protect your jobs, but who protects the hearts and minds of those people who cannot help, and those waiting for disaster to strike .. who turn and walk away from the tv in disgust because 'once again' you highlight the negative and ignore the positive.

Examples: yesterday, the lady with the esoteric healing centre .. her building had not been flooded yet, but you obviously didn't know that when you pointed to the shops half buried in water and asked her to 'point out which one was hers'. The camera followed her pointing finger, to the house perched above the waves .. and you dropped her like a hot potato .. admittedly it was to reconnect to an update from the premier, or someone .. but the cut was too soon and it was obvious the woman was not of interest to you .. unless she was part of the tragedy.

And then this morning: the police are asking people to stay off the roads and rivers. So why did the news reporter say, when talking about the gawkers on the bridge driving by 'slowly', 'straining' to see what was happening in the water (with the jetskiers?), "this is what the police want .... pause ... not to happen". The 'not to happen' was said in a much quieter voice. What message did I get from that .. give me more rubbish to report? Come out and block the roads ...

Believe me, I am watching. I drop in from time to time to get updates on the water levels and listen to Anna Bligh and Julia Gillard telling us what they are doing for the state, and I'm proud of them, and everyone else who is trying to help, on any level .. but when it switches back to the media fluffing and fumbling over fill-in words, awaiting the next dramatic event to report, the tv goes OFF, again.

Do you know what you are doing with your words? Not just the media, but you, me and everyone. Do you know the amount of heartache and pain you cause yourself and others with your unguarded tongue. Spirit gave most people a filter between their thoughts and their mouths .. when did you choose to switch yours off?

Stop and think about what you say. Your words, every single one of them, have the power to change the world. The Buddha said "with our thoughts we create the world" .. well .. what sort of world are you creating when you let those stray, nasty, thoughtless, harmful words out your mouth without thinking about the damage they might do?

With our thoughts we create the world .. when we so desperately need peace, healing and safety we focus on pain, fear and negativity. Is humanity worth saving?

Hmm.. where is Noah?

Love & Light
Ama