In and Out of Context

Today I am grateful for my recovery friends and the ways we continue to connect in these present circumstances. I am also grateful for enough acceptance of present circumstances that I can move forward into my day rather than be paralyzed by it. 

In and out of context. Important distinctions. In context puts flesh on the bones and brings validity to an event or experience.  Out of context spawns misunderstanding and perpetuates lies and half-truths. 

In context, words and images are understood and given their true meaning. Taken out of context, words and images can become something else entirely. We are prone to being pulled into the images, headlines, and quotes that have been taken out of context to grab attention.  

With our technology and the ease of moving images and editing, with the overflow of information at our fingertips, it is no wonder we have come to this. So much is taken out of context and used to serve a purpose that may be selfish at the least and fear-mongering and power-hungry at the worst. 

Most of us may not do this on a broad scale, but all of us are witnessing what can happen when it is done. We are living through a time that has been shaped by so much misinformation and outright lies that it becomes hard to know where the truth is. 

Out of context leads to lots of judging and dehumanizing. It dishonors each of our stories. 

Checking your sources and following the trail of evidence can help, but with rampant lying and this sense of "I can say whatever I want" and put it out to the world, it makes the facts and the real picture harder to find.  

I attempt to navigate this by choosing reliable news outlets that stick to more factual reporting and less commentary. Skepticism and cynicism come with the territory now, but there is also always hope and resilience.  I also take the news in small doses, not big gulps.

When the true human experience is reported in genuine fashion, hope and resilience always emerge, always rise above the muck and mire. 

It is also worth considering what context I put my own life in. One minor struggle, out of context and exaggerated, can start to pull me down. Kept in the context of mindful presence, it can remain the small glitch it is and I can keep my energy focused on fruitful endeavors instead.