50+ Lifestyles

A Good News Diet

By Mary Schricker Gemberling

“Remember there’s no such thing as a small act of kindness. Every act creates a ripple with no logical end.”

-Scott Adams

I consider myself to be a lifelong learner. I love to read and travel to expand my knowledge of other places, people and their cultures. I enjoy reading the newspaper and watching the evening news to stay abreast of current events. But this past year it has been almost impossible to turn on the TV, or open up a web browser without being assaulted with alerts of shootings, plane crashes, natural disasters, war and rioting, not to mention moral infractions by well- known individuals in respected positions. I understand that journalists are drawn to reporting bad news because that’s what sells newspapers. But all this bad news can be depressing and emotionally charged and lead us to believe that the sky really is ‘Falling In’! According to some psychologists, exposure to negative and violent media may have serious and long-lasting effects beyond simple feelings of pessimism or disapproval.

In the past few years, many of us have altered our diets in the face of dire health warnings. We are eating less sugar and fatty foods, and in general trying to lead more active and healthier lifestyles. My proposal for 2018 is that we try a new kind of diet; one that restricts the ingestion of bad news replaced by a habit of random acts of kindness.  I know that it will be an uphill battle and that the daily news will continue to be monopolized by the toxicity of violence, death and insidious morality, but maybe, just maybe if enough of us focus on acts of kindness over the long term we might see a difference. And for those of you that are a bit reluctant….maybe this story will help.

“Once upon a time, there was an old man who used to go to the ocean to do his writing. He had a habit of walking on the beach every morning before he began his work. Early one morning, he was walking along the shore after a big storm had passed and found the vast beach littered with starfish as far as the eye could see, stretching in both directions.  Off in the distance, the old man noticed a small boy approaching. As the boy walked, he paused every so often and as he grew closer, the man could see that he was occasionally bending down to pick up an object and throw it into the sea. 

The boy came closer still and the man called out, “Good morning! May I ask what it is that you are doing?”

The young boy paused, looked up, and replied “Throwing starfish into the ocean. The tide has washed them up onto the beach and they can’t return to the sea by themselves,” the youth replied. “When the sun gets high, they will die, unless I throw them back into the water.”

The old man replied, “But there must be tens of thousands of starfish on this beach. I’m afraid you won’t really be able to make much of a difference.”

The boy bent down, picked up yet another starfish and threw it as far as he could into the ocean. Then he turned, smiled and said, “It made a difference to that one!”

       Adapted from the Star Thrower, by Loren Eiseley

(1907 – 1977)

Here is a list of suggested ‘acts of kindness’ to jumpstart your 2018 ‘Good News Diet’:

• Adopt a soldier
• Be a designated driver
• Be a friend who listens
• Be kind to someone you dislike.
• Before a friend moves away, give her a favorite recipe or quote and a photo of the two of you together.
• Call or write to a teacher who changed your life.
• Cook a meal for someone.
• Donate used books to a library
• Forgive someone a debt–and never bring it up again
• Help a child learn
• Help a friend pack for a move.
• Help someone with yard work
• Let someone go in front of you in line.
• Listen with all your senses.
• Make blankets for the homeless
• Mentor a child or teen
• Offer change when the person in front of you at the register comes up short.
•  Offer to baby-sit for a single mom.
• Offer to pick up groceries for an elderly neighbor, especially in extreme weather.
• Out of the blue, send flowers to a friend.
• Pass along a great book you’ve just finished reading.
• Pay the toll for the driver behind you.
• Pick up trash
• Put a coin in an expired meter.
• Read to someone
• Say “I love you” to someone you love.
• Say “please” and “thank you”—and really mean it.
• Simply say “I’m sorry” when you’re wrong.
• Take a minute to direct someone who is lost, even though you’re rushing.
• Take someone’s shift as the car-pool parent.
• Thank your police or fire department
• Visit the elderly in a nursing home
• Volunteer to take care of a friend’s dog while he is vacationing.
• When you’re on a crowded train or bus, offer your seat to an  
• Write a letter to a child who could use some extra attention. Kids love getting mail.
• Write a letter to someone who made a difference in your life.
• Write a note to the boss of someone who helps you, and explain how great a job that person is doing
• Pay for someone’s drinks or dinner in a restaurant
• Give a huge tip to someone when they least expect it
• Give another driver your parking spot
• Smile for no reason
• Make it a habit to do at least one random act of kindness every day.
• Suggest to someone else you know that they do at least one random act of kindness every day.

May each of your lives be enriched as the giver and recipient of many acts of kindness during 2018 and maybe together we can create a more positive news environment one starfish at a time!

Mary Schricker Gemberling

Mary, a former educator and Seniors Real Estate Specialist, is the author of three books; The West End Kid, Labor of Love; My Personal Journey through the World of Caregiving, and Hotel Blackhawk; A Century of Elegance.