Finding the Helpers in a World That Feels Broken

 

Why I Stopped Watching the News:

 

I don’t usually watch the news for a number of reasons—mostly because it pulls me down.

 

And I don’t just mean it makes me sad or depressed.

 

I mean it shifts my whole mindset toward the negative.

 

But lately, the news is finding me.

 

This week it was two stories:

 

• The woman at the Phillies game who gave a little boy a hard time about a baseball.
• The murder of Charlie Kurt.

 

The first made me shake my head. The second broke my heart.

 

What really disturbed me, though, was how I heard about Charlie’s murder.

 

My son showed me the video of the actual killing.

 

How does my young son even have access to that?

 

And what does it do to his young mind to watch it?

 

The World We’re Being Shown:

 

This is the problem I’ve always had with the news—it doesn’t just inform us.

 

It shows us the most sensational, extreme, negative parts of humanity. Over and over again.

 

Some people say, “That’s just the world we live in.”

 

But is it? Or is it just the world we’re being shown?

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The Phillies “Karen”:

 

For those that don’t know, “Karen” is a term for someone acting entitled, rude, or just plain mean. That’s how the woman at the Phillies game came across.

 

But here’s the thing: what gets replayed is her worst moment, on loop.

 

Does that help anything? Does it make her less likely to act that way again?

 

Or does it just keep all of us focused on her behavior, feeling angry and self-righteous?

 

 

A Real Tragedy:

 

And then there’s Charlie Kurt.

 

(I did not know him before writing this and this has nothing to do politically, only as an example of current events and perspective.)

 

He was murdered in front of his family. That’s not just a news story—that’s a human tragedy.

 

I’d like to see his killer brought to justice. But more than that, I want to understand:

 

What brings a person to do something like this?

 

Some call for the death penalty.

 

I understand that anger. But I call for something greater: to make sure it never happens again.

 

 

Look for the Helpers:

 

That’s when I thought of something Mr. Rogers said:

“When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, ‘Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.’”

So who are the helpers in these stories?

 

• In the Phillies case, it was the Marlins and Phillies organizations. They gave the boy merchandise, a signed bat, and even a chance to meet the player who hit the ball.
• In Charlie’s case, I’ve heard—though I can’t confirm—that his children’s expenses like college etc. are being taken care of.

 

That’s the kind of thing Mr. Rogers’ mother was talking about.

 

 

Is the World Worse—Or Just on Camera?

 

I hear people say more and more, “The world is crazy. People are worse than ever.”

 

But I’m not sure. Maybe it only feels that way because today everyone has a camera.

 

The Phillies fan, the Coldplay CEO’s affair, Charlie Kurt’s murder—they all would have happened even without cameras.

 

The difference is, now they’re the top news story. Now they’re what everyone is talking about.

 

And every time we watch, it triggers a stress response. Our bodies go into fight-or-flight.

 

We keep going back for more because yes, the news can be very addictive.

 

But is that making us better?

 

Is it making the world better?

 

 

What Strength Really Looks Like:

 

I once posted a picture of myself—musclebound, over 200 pounds.

 

And yet I’ll say this: Mr. Rogers was one of the strongest men I know.

 

Because strength isn’t about muscles. It’s about choosing to look for the good in the middle of the ugly. It’s about living in a way that makes the world better for others.

 

We’re all here together. But are we really trying to work together yet?

 

Mr. Rogers didn't just look for the helpers, he became one.

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What Maya Angelou Asked:

 

Maya Angelou once said we use less than 10% of our brains. She asked, “What does 11 look like? How about 12?”

 

She said at 12% there would be no more war. Not because there would be no more problems, but because we’d finally realize: war is a dumb solution. Someone always has to lose.

 

I looked this statistic up to make sure and, now scientists say we actually use 100% of our brains.

 

I really doubt that, but a different question came to my mind: How much of our hearts do we use?

 

I’d guess not much. And that’s the real tragedy—because we could.

 

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A Better Way:

 

There was a story in my area about a gunman who shot up a Mormon school.

(I will be expanding on this in a later post.)

 

That same day, the mothers of the children went to comfort the shooter’s family. They forgave him instantly.

 

How long did that story last in the news? Barely a day. No drama, no clicks.

 

But imagine if we pointed the camera at that.

 

 

Closing Thoughts:

 

What troubles me most isn’t how broken people are—it’s how much we have inside us that we simply don't use.

 

Things like forgiveness, grace, love, hope, silence, discernment.

 

We don’t need a different world. We just need more helpers. More people using their hearts.

 

So next time you hear the news look for the helpers.

 

Better yet go out and be one, the world needs you!