What happens behind the headlines?
“Why does it have to be good news?”
We hear bad news every day. Sometimes we scroll past it. Sometimes we stop and read. Sometimes, we carry it with us. But what happens when we look beyond the bad news and ask what happened next?
Shima Yoshida
I attended a presentation at school where a group of business students pitched their project ideas to the class. They created a media channel to post positive stories from the neighborhood. Their goal was to share good news and encourage people.
There were a few executives from a media company there to evaluate their project. One of them asked, “Why does it have to be good news?” The student replied, “Because we are discouraged by so much bad news.”
The student continued explaining their purpose and goals, but that question stayed with me.
Yes, bad things happen around us. We see them in the news every day. But what does discouraging news do to us? And what do we want to do with it? Do we simply want to avoid it, or is there something more to discover underneath the tragedy?
If we want to focus on encouragement, it reminded me of a few stories where something hopeful came out of “bad news.”
A boy lost his father, grandparents, and home in the 3.11 earthquake and tsunami in Japan in 2011. He had to move to another town. He continued playing baseball, a sport he had loved since he was eight years old. Equipment was scarce, and there wasn’t even a ballpark. The tsunami had taken his family, his home, and much of the town with it.
Today, he plays for the Los Angeles Dodgers.
A father once pulled his truck into a nearby donation station to drop off some things. He felt his back tire roll over a bump. Then he discovered that his precious nine-year-old son was lying face down on the pavement. He lost his son.
His wife stayed by his side and loved him through his grief. His ministering brother also prayed for him, stayed with him, and helped him get back on his feet.
Later, his wife was involved in a car accident with a drunk driver. He chose to forgive the driver because he had experienced forgiveness himself.
Another story comes from the aftermath of September 11. A documentary film described how New York City held a public meeting to discuss what should be done with Ground Zero. About 5,000 New Yorkers gathered at Town Hall to discuss their ideas.
Out of such a terrible tragedy came a reminder that people could still gather, listen to one another, and participate in democracy.
These stories made me think about what happens behind the headlines.
A news story might begin with tragedy. But behind that tragedy, there may be stories of resilience, forgiveness, courage, or hope.
As a person of faith, I see those things as evidence of God’s grace and His involvement in our lives. Looking deeper into a tragedy helps me hold on to hope
Maybe that is one reason I am interested in seeking what happens beyond the headline. Perhaps the stories underneath it can show us something about our humanity and what we are capable of.
And maybe that is where a story becomes more than just newsworthy.
