OTHER PEOPLE'S TROUBLES TROUBLE ME

Why is this? When I hear that other people are having problems such as loss of job, worries, problems with ill health or worries over their children or other family members I become depressed. I worry and fret and wring my hands.

Tonight I got a phone call. The person on the other end told me about problem after problem and by the time I hung up I was so low I could have won a limbo contest.

This person didn't even like Mamma Mia--they saw the bad language and the refrences to past sins and walked out of the movie in protest. I loved the movie. I saw all the funny parts, the love this woman had for her daughter, the love the daughter had for her mom. Now, this phone call has ruined the movie for me. I should have seen all the bad parts, maybe. Am I too nieve? Am I wrong to gloss over the bad parts and focus on the tender, loving parts? And the funny parts, well, maybe the phone call just can't ruin it after all. I will go again and see the funny parts and the loving parts and not listen to the bad words. But then again, am I supporting a movie that should have had higher standards? Should I have walked out in a huff?

Phil can't understand why I allow other people's opinions and their problems to affect me.

"Can you do anything about it?" he asked.

"No," I said.

"Then why do you let it bother you?"

"I don't know, it just does."

Does anyone have an answer for this? Some trick that will relieve me of this unnecessary, depressing worry?

A couple of months ago one of the women who writes a blog I check on started on her history. I really admire this woman but I couldn't read it. She lived through it, and is still fine and perking but I couldn't read the trials she had gone through. I became so depressed. What's the matter with me?

A few days ago Phil read an article out of the newspaper out loud to me. It was about how the Chinese have been so underhanded with so many areas of the Olympics, starting with the little girl that was going to sing in the Opening Exercises but because of her poor teeth they brought in a "pretty child" who just mouthed the words that the other girl sang. It took much of the joy out of watching the Olympics. Every Chinese participant I see I wonder, what did you have to give up to be here? Your family? Your freedom to choose whether you wanted to do this or not? Did you have to wear adult diapers to practice the Opening Exercises because no one gave you bathroom time? Did you loose ten pounds because no one fed you or gave you any thing to drink and you didn't get to sleep for two days? What is the matter with people that the image is more important than the people?

And then, when the age of the Chinese girl gymnasts became suspicious I wondered why this is so important that lying and cheating has to be involved. The whole world is involved in lying and cheating. Don't we remember who we are? Doesn't any of our divine heritage shine in us? And because I like Mamma Mia maybe my divine heritage is being stomped to dust too.

I won't even start on politics. I'll just say if I see either candidate on TV I click the mute button. Their accusations, their slander and ridicule sickens me. At times I feel like I'd rather be led by a chicken. Or a goat, maybe.

Other than living in a cave, which, obviously I can't do, what do you suggest? Does anyone else deal with this? And if you do and have conquered the blues and the sadness please tell me how.

I realize this blog has wandered all over the place. I'm sorry I couldn't stick to one subject and be succinct. I just had to talk all this stuff out. I should have written it out in longhand, it would have dissipated easier that way.

I'm okay now, don't worry about me. Our neighbors came over. They laughed and joked and we talked for over a half hour and then I got a hug from the Mom part of this couple and I felt better.

My angels sent them, I'm sure of it. If they hadn't I would have called someone I secretly call my "All is Well," friend. She always knows what to say to make me fell better. I hope you have both. An "All is Well" friend and loving angels who are watching over you. Well, I know you have the latter, you just might not realize it.

BEIJING CHINA--THE OLYMPICS--THE CHINESE PEOPLE

Beijing, China. We have heard more about the pollution than anything else. The opening exercises are focusing on the history...at least so far, we are only an hour in.

It is an amazing display with unbelievable choreography. The technology is amazing and yet, some things that I thought were computer-run were human-run. Beautiful humans. The amazing drummers were told to smile more. Why, I wonder? Does China want to change their image with a smile. Do they think I will buy Chinese dinnerware because of a happy citizen's face. It's nice to see them smile but it's a "no" to the dinnerware. To change their image they must be strict in what they import. Internal policies too, need to be addressed. No longer will they be cloaked. This opens their country for worldwide scrutiny.

15,000 performers, each one whose life will be changed because they were chosen to be in this Olympic opening ceremony. For some it will be the highlight of their lives.

These Chinese people, these billion plus people, are all being changed for the better or the worse, just like you and I, every day of their lives. When we think of the Olympics we think of the athletes but it's not the athletes I am thinking of tonight. I am thinking of the woman, living in a hill town, squatting so seemingly effortlessly, over a charcoal fire, making her family's meal in one pot. The Olympics is not an important event in her life tonight. Seeing her family fed is. I see in the young man who leaves his family farm to go to the city and work in a factory so he can send money home. I see the young girl who lives in an orphanage because she was not born male, waiting for anxious parents from another country to get the papers in order so she can have a family.

Each number is a person, has a face, has fears and hopes and dreams. Each person has myriad experiences that are unique to them only. Each has a story. How I wish we could hear them, these stories of people not so different from us.

Let the games begin!