News that changed the world

Can you recall hearing Neville Chamberlain proclaiming on the radio: Britain is now at war?
Do you remember where you were when JFK was assassinated?
What about the summer that Elvis died?
Or the invasion of the Falklands?
Or waking up one morning to learn that the UK was involved in the Gulf war?
Where were you when the news came of a shooting in a primary school in Dunblane?
Or the death of Diana?
How did you hear about 9/11?
And the invasion of Iraq?
Hurricane Katrina and the tsunami in Thailand or the earthquake in Japan?
All news that changed the world.
News that brought people together to care and to help each other.
News that saw folk respond with love.
To make the worst that had already happened tolerable in the sharing of anguish and bitterness and grief and worry.
And what about our worlds?
The look on the doctors face before she said the words you dreaded but just knew were coming?
Or the sight of the police officer coming up the path?
Or the look on a loved ones face that said it all?
News changes the world and shapes community.
We cannot shield ourselves or those we love from the pain of living.
But the force of love offers strength that makes a difference.
We have the power, not to change the news but to change the world with the power of love.
Love that bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
Love that never ends.
To turn news that changed the world into love that changed the world.
So be it.


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