This isn’t the world I want to live in.

GrannyGravy13

Due to the internet and 24 hour rolling news we are more informed than ever before.

Why worry about things you have no control over?

I’m with you and Barleyfields on this.
Worrying won’t butter any parsnips.

Enjoy today. Tomorrow is promised to no-one.

We are certainly living through interesting times, but it is possible that a lot of our fears and anxieties, and I share them all, for my children and grandchildren, are fuelled by our having news thrust at us all day and every day. There is little peace from the relentless barrage of headlines, usually bad, and the media have a great deal to answer for. We are ground down with worry about events that we cannot change, and if we didn't know about them, would they not resolve, as they always have, one way or another, without our pointless anxiety? I don't see this as a flippant view, rather more as pragmatic, and as escaped has wisely said, we can avoid adding to it. Take heart, Gransnetters. xx

Totally agree, FriedGreenTomatoes2

So do I.

gazing at a few daffodils just doesn’t mean much anymore

Rot. Anyone who can't find a bit of joy in the beauty of spring flowers is a misery guts. They may have reason to be miserable but it aint the daffodils' fault.

GrannyGravy, FGT, Rula, Barleyfirlds et al. D'accord!

Baggs

*gazing at a few daffodils just doesn’t mean much anymore*

Rot. Anyone who can't find a bit of joy in the beauty of spring flowers is a misery guts. They may have reason to be miserable but it aint the daffodils' fault.

👏👏👏🌷🌼🌸

Baggs

*gazing at a few daffodils just doesn’t mean much anymore*

Rot. Anyone who can't find a bit of joy in the beauty of spring flowers is a misery guts. They may have reason to be miserable but it aint the daffodils' fault.

I spotted a park full of croci the other day, what a joyful sight!

Flowers are lovely yes! And gardening is often said to be great for low mood.
But if someone is in the depths of depression, shoving a bunch of daffodils in their hand is not going to miraculously have them singing ‘oh, what a beautiful morning’ - if it was that simple no one would be on anti depressants or go to bed having nightmares about Donald Trump,

I'm with you on this Furret, I totally agree.

I'm inclined to agree, escaped.

I doubt that we know the half of what is going on, which is probably for the best in many ways. I am appalled at the way Trump has behaved, but the upside is that Europe has come together, and is including other states in the 'coalition of the willing'.

The shifting sands are troubling, but Putin is struggling with Ukraine - he hasn't been able to take control after three years, so the chances of his trying to march into Poland and attack NATO are very slim. If we all rearm, by the time such expansion becomes even a possibility, the global picture may have changed, and if not, a combined force of allied states will be a powerful opposition. If Trump formally allies with Putin, we'll have to deal with that at the time, but there is no immediate likelihood of that.

The US and European economies are flat, so rearming will buoy them up. I would prefer to see money spent on other things, but who knows - this could even be a way of getting populations onside and amenable to taxation and spending on defence. Society has become so divided lately, and a common goal (or, dare I say, a common enemy) might bring people together, which can only be a good thing.

Whatever is happening, we can't do anything about it, so despondency will only make us more miserable.

I guess this thread proves some of us are optimists and some pessimists.

I am in the optimistic camp. And daffodils, crocii etc fill me with joy and hope.

The sun this week has made me feel much less miserable. I've been more active and happy

The political landscape is depressing, here and abroad but there is little I can do about it other than vote when necessary. I have stopped watching the news but I do listen to it on the radio and people talk about it at work. A certain amount of ignorance keeps me sane

I’m a Pollyanna too kitty.
Obviously family health issues can scare me (or anyone I dare say) at times, but the state of the world? Nope.
It’s above my pay grade to spend my days worrying over what I cannot alter.
Might as well read a book or listen to the radio!

Doodledog

I'm inclined to agree, escaped.

I doubt that we know the half of what is going on, which is probably for the best in many ways. I am appalled at the way Trump has behaved, but the upside is that Europe has come together, and is including other states in the 'coalition of the willing'.

The shifting sands are troubling, but Putin is struggling with Ukraine - he hasn't been able to take control after three years, so the chances of his trying to march into Poland and attack NATO are very slim. If we all rearm, by the time such expansion becomes even a possibility, the global picture may have changed, and if not, a combined force of allied states will be a powerful opposition. If Trump formally allies with Putin, we'll have to deal with that at the time, but there is no immediate likelihood of that.

The US and European economies are flat, so rearming will buoy them up. I would prefer to see money spent on other things, but who knows - this could even be a way of getting populations onside and amenable to taxation and spending on defence. Society has become so divided lately, and a common goal (or, dare I say, a common enemy) might bring people together, which can only be a good thing.

Whatever is happening, we can't do anything about it, so despondency will only make us more miserable.

I don't really think Europe or Ukraine is the issue for Trump. It's all about winning over Russia so that it is no longer such an ally of China.. Those are the big players and Trump is going to do anything it takes to be more powerful than China..

I look at my grandkids all SO much more clued up than I was at their age They are taking it all in their stride Some are travelling to far flung places, working their way round the world (and what kindness they have experienced off complete strangers ) most are university educated and had a wonderful time making new friends experiencing new happenings They play hard they work hard they are all very sensible and have a million times more confidence than I ever had I ve not heard one of them worrying about the world situation I don’t mean they don’t know or care about it but they are not distressed about it

I m old now but I m mentally young enough to know theres absolutely no point in me wringing my hands about something I can’t change all I can do is is make my part in this world game as sensible and happy as possible and I do I help who I can when I can I sign petitions which are probably no use I protest when and if I can BUT the rest of the time I m happy
As you believe all hope is lost Furret and you are so upset and worried about our situation and your grandkids lives are ruined with fear I suggest you are very depressed and need a GP s help
Now off to dig my allotment and dream of summer

Yes, that may well be the case.

We still can't do anything about it though.

A Pollyanna maybe copes better with family problems anyway, FGT2.

LovesBach

We are certainly living through interesting times, but it is possible that a lot of our fears and anxieties, and I share them all, for my children and grandchildren, are fuelled by our having news thrust at us all day and every day. There is little peace from the relentless barrage of headlines, usually bad, and the media have a great deal to answer for. We are ground down with worry about events that we cannot change, and if we didn't know about them, would they not resolve, as they always have, one way or another, without our pointless anxiety? I don't see this as a flippant view, rather more as pragmatic, and as escaped has wisely said, we can avoid adding to it. Take heart, Gransnetters. xx

Yes. 24/7 rolling news isn’t good for worriers like me! This is the first time in my adult life that I have consciously blocked out the news for most of the day, just dipping into it every so often and then listening to The Rest is Politics to get a balanced view of world events.

"Don't pull tomorrow's clouds over today's sunshine". Just enjoy today as we don't know what's in the future so pointless worrying about it.

petra

Furret

fancy if we are going to talk of the testaments what I’m seeing at the moment is the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse riding onto the horizon

This thread is getting to the silly stage now 🤦🏼‍♀️

I have several friends who are very religious, and one who is a Jehovah's witness. She is desperate for me to join them, so I can be 'saved' - as she says the world is in such a mess, God will do as he promised and intervene soon.

This is so wrong, so patronising and worse ''I suggest you are very depressed and need a GP s help ''

anyone who is not concerned about what is going on around the world now, and the possibility of a war from which there will be no return for most os us, including out grand-children, is not behaving 'normally'.

Had a lovely day, big walk in the woods, work in the garden in the sunshine- coffee with a friend. It is perfectly possible to have a lovely time, AND be very concerned too, to the extent of being affected at bedtime, for instance.

If you stood in a ring of fire, with fingers in your ears and dancing around, singing ladidadida - you would not be 'normal'.

Let's all buy a bunch of daffodils tomorrow, place them in a vase and keep smiling!

As the lovely Eric Idle sang.
When your chewing on life’s gristle don’t grumble, give a whistle.
And this’ll help things turn out for the best 🎼🎼🎼🎼🎼🎼🎼.

Claremont
Nothing new in Jehovah’s claiming the world is in a mess.
That’s their perpetual state of being. 😱