Good News
We sure could use some. Many people have been turned off by the barrage of bad news and even turning off the news on television.
Admittedly, there is much bad news. Bad news sells because people love to hear or read about it, because it is happening to someone else. 99.9 % of the time, a reporter will not be standing in front of a camera somewhere telling us that nothing bad has happened today.
One would assume that at a certain age, you would just give up. Every day we hear, see, read things that are bad that would influence us tragically, but the human spirit survives even when it has been defeated or so it appears.
Just while you have been reading these paragraphs nine people have been born every minute and 10 people have died, which is kind of good news since you will have longer to live. With that kind of time on your hands maybe you could do some good. Imagine what these new people will do to make this a better world?
Every day we hear and read about how many people are getting divorced, robbed or killed, but do we ever hear or read how many people are married every day, or who made a legal fortune or who celebrated their 25th birthday?
Yes, 25th birthday, because that birthday is special. They can now legally rent a car for one thing, usually the age when you will inherit some wealth from a trust. According to car rental companies, people who reach the age of 25 are considered responsible drivers. Scientists tell us at age 25 your brain is complete, all the electrons firing, the frontal lobe is complete.
This year we have until Tuesday, April 18 to file our tax returns if you owe, a reprieve, three extra days. Why? Normally, we will need to file by April 15. That date falls on a weekend this year, so the Monday after, but, alas, that is Emancipation Day and celebrated as a holiday in Washington, D.C.
An exception is citizens of Maine and Massachusetts, who will not have to file until April 20, because the 19th is their state holiday, Patriots Day. And if you don’t owe any taxes, you never have to file, the IRS can just keep that money.
Charlie Smalls, musical prodigy, entered Julliard School at age 11 and wrote a personal favorite, “Don’t Nobody Bring Me No Bad News” from the play and movie, “The Wiz.” One stanza is “Bring some message in your head, or in something you can’t lose. But don’t you ever bring me no bad news. If you’re gonna bring me something, bring me something I can use, But don’t you bring me no bad news”. Amen.