Musical Monday- "Always Look On The Bright Side Of Life"

Okay, for once you have to admit a Monday is looking pretty good.  Wait, hear me out, there’s a reason that I am saying this.  It’s a new week, thank heaven.  Let’s face it, last week was one of the worst week’s in news that we as Americans have faced in quite some time.  When the troubles rain, they pour.
Last week’s news brought us:

• The tragedy of the Boston Bombings.
• The defeat of sensible gun control, favored by 86% of Americans.   For an interesting post Senate vote perspective click here.
• The appalling loss of life in West, Texas.
• CISPA passed the House and moved on to the Senate.  The White House has said it may veto it, but let’s hope it doesn’t get pass the Senate.  I’d hate to have to test that resolve. What is CISPA and why should you care?

Taken individually, any one of these four would have been a major news story and a source of deep emotion for this writer.  To have them piled in a week is nothing short of mind-numbing.
I got up this morning believing that I was going to have to address at least one of these topics, but I realized something.  The emotion involved would be incapacitating. Boston and West, Texas move all of us to heart-wrenching grief, while those senators who have clearly sold their souls to the gun lobby make me so angry I can’t think straight.  Likewise, I’m not happy with the politicians who saw the will of the people in defeating SOPA and PIPA last year, only to put forth CISPA now. Grrrrrr.
I absolutely have to function.  It’s a busy week and there’s a lot I want to accomplish.  I may return to one of these four later, but right now I need to focus on the bright side of life.  We all do.
This brings us to today’s Musical Monday.  I have chosen Monty Python’s, Always Look On The Bright Side Of Life from their classic 1979 film, Life of Brian.

Because there were good things that happened last week, though albeit dwarfed next to the sadness and anger we faced.

• Babies were born and couples joined in marriage.
• Iran has agreed to return to the table with UN negotiators in mid-May regarding their nuclear program.  Mind you I am not holding my breath, but we can always hope.
• Brazil has provided 1.2 billion (that is with a “b”) towards clean energy research.  Click here for article.
• The infant mortality rate has fallen by 12% in the US since 2005, due in part to fewer premature births.
• South Korea recently swore in their first woman president.
• Saudi Arabia, of all places, is pushing forward a new renewable energy program to help lessen the amount of oil they are burning.
• We discovered not one, but TWO, “earth-like” planets.
• My family, my friends, all the people in my village, on my island, whatever, are all still here.  I shall be taking extra time to hug them.

I grant you, none of these things erases, or even diminishes the bad news, but they are good tidings nonetheless.  While I certainly am not advocating ignoring the dark times, I would urge everyone to keep going and not to let them overwhelm or derail us. I have a strict policy in the belief that the good shall outnumber and overwhelm the bad.  Light over dark.  We can laugh or we can cry.  I choose to laugh, although for the moment there’s a bit of laughter through tears in my expression.
I hope with all sincerity and fervor that your week is filled with happier things than last week.  I’ll be pulling for us all.