We all dread bad news. No one likes it, and as with all things in life, bad news lies on a continuum between really bad news and news that is not welcome, but not that bad.
Bad news halts you, makes you think and redirects you. Yet no matter how bad the news is, you can't let it take you down--you have to find the meaning in it and then rise up against it.
Yesterday I got some bad news. On the scale of 1 to 10, with one being not that bad--this news was only a one. It's not that bad. In fact, in light of the bad news we read about and have experienced in life, it's a very minor affair, yet it did halt me, make me think and redirect me.
Bad news is often a wake-up call, a reality check and something that greatly humbles you. We can use this to our advantage. In a sense, bad news makes us more fully human because we see our role as one of many, not one alone. Bad news makes us realize that we need each other and can help each other greatly with the capacity we have.
I've watched my dad deal with bad news throughout his life. And with each episode of bad news, he responded by creating lots of good news including adventures, good times, celebrations and more. He never let the bad news take him down for more than a short while--instead he picked up and carried on with gusto following my mom's sage advice, "Enjoy the stage you're in."
I plan to follow my dad's lead.
When his dad died relatively young, my dad was very sad. Yet he responded by taking good care of his mom and being a devoted dad who brought his children many good times.
When he struggled with problems related to parenting, he constantly strove for new solutions to make things better. He was always open to helping us experience all that life had to offer which gave us a broad view of life which led us to many worthwhile pursuits and adventures.
When cancer struck, he didn't give in. Instead he researched what the richest people in the world did when they had the kind of cancer he had, and he followed their lead. He read all he could about the disease and found every way possible to fight it. His perseverance and some luck beat the cancer.
Now in his ninth decade, he faces new struggles related to mom's illness and his own. Yet, he doesn't give up. He keeps a steady routine each day and still shows great interest in the accomplishments and stories of those around him. He's clearly not there just for himself, but for others too.
Having had a dad for my entire life has been a great gift. His example has made me stronger and more able to face the bad news and both enjoy and create the good news too.
So as we face the bad news that happens now and then, it's important that we see it for what it is and that is an opportunity to be humbled, seek the help we need and make better. We can do that. Onward.