Finding the Beauty in Life

By Annette Pinder

Much has been happening that is causing many of us to feel overwhelmed and disheartened. Some of our biggest concerns include ongoing wars and violence, loss of innocent lives, destruction of communities, and displacement of millions of people. Finding common ground with one another is also more difficult due to a rise in extremism, misinformation, and distrust in institutions. The effects of an ongoing housing crisis, medical debt, job insecurity, are impacting people’s confidence in their future. Meanwhile, extreme weather events — wildfires, hurricanes, droughts, and floods are occurring more frequently, displacing communities, and affecting food and water supplies, as political inaction on climate issues continues.

As if this weren’t enough, we are witnessing an attack on our freedom of speech, bodily autonomy, marginalization of communities, and seeing rollbacks on rights that once seemed secure. Anxiety, depression, and burnout are at record highs, particularly among young people, as social media, economic stress, and global uncertainty contribute to a growing sense of hopelessness.

It’s easy to feel powerless amidst all this turmoil, but I can’t help but think about the movie Life Is Beautiful, in which a father uses hope and humor to highlight the absurdity of hate, and the power of resilience of the human spirit to shield his son from the horrors around him. While we cannot ignore what is happening, we can focus on what we can control — acts of kindness, support for our community; staying informed without letting it consume our peace; and holding on to moments of joy, even in difficult times, because love, art, laughter, and connection matter. Remember, choosing joy can be a way of refusing to let negativity win. It doesn’t mean ignoring problems — it means keeping your light alive despite them.