The world is up in arms. Is it OK to keep my positivity train going?

The Israel-Hamas war is escalating, and unspeakable violence is tearing families apart. Today, I was afraid to spend time on social media for fear I might see these atrocious acts on film. I was afraid to see what other people are already living.

Here in the US, Halloween activities are in full swing, football season is upon us, and life is pretty much going as planned. But I know I’m not alone in waking up in the middle of the night thinking of all the people on the other side of the world who are terrified every moment of every day—worried that their children will be taken or their homes will be bombed. Is it wrong to feel joy as I skip through a pumpkin patch with my fall-flavored beverage in hand while so many fight for their lives? It feels so very complicated.

I have things going on in my own life, things I could use some joy and distraction from, but when I batch all of them together, they still aren’t as heavy as what is happening to the people of Israel and Gaza. I feel secondhand guilt from all the killing of innocent people, and I’m not sure what to do about it. I have always felt that there are fewer reasons to fight wars than there are to help one another, and I have always wanted to see more unity in my lifetime. - Not just within my community and country but everywhere. Is it too far-fetched to think that we could find resolutions that don’t involve murder? I don’t stand on any side here except the side of peace. And I am no expert on the right way to handle any feelings of sadness you may be experiencing right now. But I’m going to pray and send as much love and light to all the people affected, and if you feel compelled to send positive and healing energy in whatever way your personal beliefs allow, I hope you will, too. As for joy, I hope that I get to feel it as a consequence of gratitude that myself and my family are in a fairly safe place. Enough to celebrate the changing of the seasons, but never forgetting how blessed I am to be able to do so.