FACING CHALLENGES

There are many problems in our world today. That is not to say that there ever was a time when the world was free from problems or had less of them than we have today. After all, give the instantaneous ability we have to communicate any problem, any issue, any triumph – anything! – to the rest of the world, the problems of this world almost seem both overwhelming and insurmountable.

Part of our problem today is that we can communicate so quickly. The headlines are rife with stories about politicians, pundits and ordinary people who have sent off thoughts, criticisms and even pictures without having taken the time to reflect upon what they were doing and now are paying the price for their indiscretions, their foolishness and even their criminal activity.

Concomitant with our ability today to communicate something instantly and worldwide is that a quick response is demanded. The one who sends the message wants a response right now simply because an instant response is available. Not too long ago one would send a letter by mail that took several days to reach its addressee. Then the one who received the letter had the opportunity to reflect on its contents and then write a reply. By the time the reply was received, several weeks could pass and no one was upset that it took so long to receive a response. Not so any longer.

None of this is to assert that we should do away with computers and email and cell phones. It is simply to say that sometimes the problems we face today are of our own making because we do not take time to reflect on the issue at hand that so often needs a reflective response which is impossible when an instant response is expected.

The point is not that we have so many problems both as a person and as a world, nor is it to bemoan the fact that we seem to be overwhelmed by them so many are they and so few resources there are at our disposal to deal with them. We know that we cannot solve all the problems in the world no matter how much money or how many resources we have. That is a given.

What we need to remind ourselves in the face of such that not everything that is faced can be changed; however, nothing can be changed until it is faced. In the face of any problem, especially a difficult one, often our first response is to turn and run, hoping either it will go away if we can get away or that someone else will deal with it while we are away.

The other response when made aware of a problem is to assert that “it’s not my problem.” But of course it is. Once we are made aware of a problem, once faced with it, it now becomes our problem as well. In this world we are all in it together whether we like it or not. It goes with the territory, as they say. Thus, each of us individually and all of us collectively are challenged to do whatever we can to resolve it. Often what we can do is very little, but at least we can do something. The problem may not be resolved no matter what we do. But doing nothing only makes the problem worse.