If I could send this, I would first send much love and compassion to you and my mother in law. I see and hear your suffering as you struggle to deal with what is going on in the world. It is a complex world full of differing points of view. There are those that see the world going to hell-in-a-hand-basket and those who have hope. There are those that are conservative in their political slant, which means wanting things as they were, there are those that are middle ground who just want things better, and then there are those on the progressive end who want change to help America realize its potential.
All points of view are just points of view not good or bad, right or wrong. Except that the ego-mind can sometimes argue very strongly that our point of view is right and other points of view are wrong. That is human nature to have passion for our ideas and beliefs. Each of us has the right to our own beliefs and viewpoints even if those around us do not agree. Again there is no right or wrong here except in our ego-mind.
Peace of mind is not possible when ego-mind is in charge. If a person believes things are not going well then ego-mind is focused on the negative. If we feed the mind with negative opinions (Rush and others), negative news (Fox), you are going to grow your negativity and fear. Fear is the natural response to the ideas put out by those that are full of negative judgment and focused on what is wrong with everything. This Blame and Complain Game is very disturbing to our peace of mind. If we play this game we will create great unrest in ourselves.
If we want peace of mind and happiness, we will do better to not feed our mind with negativity, blaming and complaining. That is a simple mental health fact. Whatever our viewpoint is, it is always best to look for what is positively possible, to have hope, to focus on solutions if we want to be happy. Yes, change can be disruptive and unsettling but the flexible mind filled with compassion, hope, optimism, and expanding awareness will make the best out of what is.
Since I probably won’t be allowed to send this, I do want to encourage all family members everywhere to please be open to each other without judging. Have compassion for each other and be willing to really listen to how each other views the world. You just might find yourself understanding and expanding your own point of view. The fact is if you focus on the negative and blame and complain, your life will not be much fun and those you care about you may shy away because this negative energy is not enjoyable to be around. If you focus on having love and compassion for each other and welcome all viewpoints then healthy dialogue is possible and there is true hope for the world.