6820 Pacific Ave., Ste. 2-B Stockton, CA 95207 (209)472-0722 www.egreen.net.

Welcome to our new, techno-upgraded, EVERGREEN OUTREACH!

Gone are the days when news was reported objectively. Somewhere between the good old days and the present, someone discovered that bad news pay$. The more horrendous a story, the more we hear about it, see it, and suffer through repetitive renditions which, sooner or later, convince us either consciously or subconsciously that life sucks.

News people make their living selling us doom and gloom, certainly dramatizing and often distorting the truth in order to make their story more sensational.

Consider an airplane crash. Thousands of planes arrive safely at their destination, but when one crashes it makes the news. Yes, we have a right to know; however, does this sound familiar? “Two hundred and twelve passengers perished, including four pregnant women, three toddlers, and a newborn infant.” Did we need to know that? No, we did not; but such details get us in our gut -- not a healthy reaction, but one that draws us into the story -- right where the commentator wants us. Thus the camera close-up on a doll or teddy bear at the site of the crash, fixed before us on our TV screen. Another gotcha.

Whether you’re an O’Reilly fan or not, I recommend his novel Those Who Trespass for an insider’s take on the no-holds-barred, not-so-pretty world of TV news. (The interesting thing about story telling is that we can divulge more of the truth when it’s disguised as fiction.) But! On a positive note:

Mother whale trapped in a net along with her young offspring? She swam to the side of a fishing boat and surfaced there just long enough to allow fishermen to cut the netting away, then the pair swam off.

Horse (now named Wind Chill) that was found barely alive when nearly buried beneath snow? He had been abandoned by his owner but was discovered and rescued in time to survive.

Little boy (9 - 10 years old), who donated a kidney to save his father‘s life? When asked by the news person, “Wasn’t that hard to do? Didn’t it hurt?” he said, “Why are so many people afraid of a little pain?”

By all means stay informed on current events, but bear in mind that those who give us the news, pick and choose -- not based on what we need to know, but on what will help them keep their jobs and support their lifestyles. The way to avoid being manipulated by them is to find a tiny corner of your intellect where you can tuck the news away, while you devote the vast majority of your brainpower to living life fully and on your own terms. The yin and yang of it tells us that in all good there is bad and in all bad there is good. Look for the lesson of value in every story, happy or sad. Use the news to inspire you!

The three news stories related above are stories I (Ginny) replay in my own mind to lift myself up anytime I find other news bringing me down. Feel free to do the same.