Beacons of Joy: Staying Positive in a Divided World

Some days, it feels like the world is cracking at the seams. You scroll your feed or turn on the news, and it’s all anger, division, and heartbreak. Everything feels too big to fix and too broken to bear. And still—I get up, throw on my scrubs, and head to work. Not because it’s easy, but because I have to. Bills don’t stop for burnout, and the world doesn’t pause when your spirit feels heavy.

I think a lot about how different things felt in the ’80s and ’90s. Life seemed simpler then. We didn’t wake up to an endless feed of bad news. We passed notes in class, made mixtapes, and spent more time looking people in the eye than staring at screens. You could ride your bike until the streetlights came on and talk to your neighbors without worrying which “side” they were on.

Now, it feels like everyone’s yelling, no one’s listening, and kindness is harder to come by. But when I open the door at the end of a long day, I’m reminded of something pure: the sound of nails tapping on the floor, tails thumping, and those cloudy eyes lighting up as if I’d been gone for years instead of hours.

My beagles—these sweet, gray-muzzled little souls—don’t care about politics, the price of gas, or who said what online. They care that I came home. They care that I’m still showing up. And in their world, that’s enough. Maybe it should be enough in ours, too.

There’s something sacred about the way animals love. No judgment, no conditions, just joy. And every night when I sit down and those old beagles curl up beside me, I remember that there’s still good in this world—even if it’s quiet. Even if it’s covered in fur and snoring in its sleep. Sometimes it’s in a howl that says, “I missed you.”

Staying positive in this divided, loud world doesn’t mean pretending everything is okay. It means finding joy in the little things. It means remembering the days when life felt lighter—and holding on to anything today that still brings you that kind of peace. A favorite song. A quiet moment. A dog who thinks the sun rises just to bring you home.

If you’re tired, you’re not alone. If the world feels too heavy, know that joy still lives in the small, sacred spaces. It’s in wagging tails, warm snuggles, and the love that waits for you at the end of the day.

And sometimes, that’s more than enough.

Peace, Love and Loud Music,

Mickey

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UJIDbxGrRqc

Life is Beautiful