"Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that." -- Martin Luther King Jr.
Be the light. Even in this world that is full of darkness, evil and sadness; be the light we all need. As I sit and flip through the news, I feel overwhelmed with a heavy heart. I am reminded daily of the burdens we carry and the pain we all have. Every one of us is fighting a battle. With the immeasurable loss happening across the world in Paris, to our own tragedies here in Kentucky, the world seems even darker than ever before. I offer my condolences, prayers and thoughts to every family member and loved one affected by these heartbreaks.
It is so easy for this world to discourage us. I am constantly hearing about sicknesses, deaths or violence and that is what makes it so hard for me to view this temporary home in a positive light. Every time I turn on the news, check my Twitter feed or turn on the radio, I hear more and more heartbreaking stories. The things that don’t seem real, that you feel will never happen, somehow do. I worry for the future and my children’s future. As a future teacher, I worry about having to explain terrorism to a class of fourth graders because it has become a new and prevalent part of history. It is almost unfathomable to me how much evil humans can cause. Yet at the same time, the same species is capable of so much good. With that being said, I ask for everyone to focus on the positives and be kind to one another. Any kind interaction is one small battle won.
"Anything that is an attempt at human connection in the world right now is positive." -- Stephen Colbert
Whether it is a tiny or grand gesture, you should go out of your way to be the goodness and light we all wish we were hearing everyday on the news. Be the girl who smiles and says, “Thank you,” to the angry-faced bus driver. Be the boy who calls his little sister to make sure her day in middle school was bearable. Be the best friend you can. Quit blowing off that old friend from high school and put down your phone while you’re having a conversation. Listen to someone new. We often forget how much impact we can and do have on someone else’s life. This simple fact puts the power and responsibility on us. We have the power to make our days good and someone else’s day even better. We have to make these decisions every day and if we choose wisely, we can make an extra effort to be the light in this world.
