"Be soft. Do not let this world make you hard. Do not let the pain make you hate. Do not let the bitterness steal your sweetness. Take pride that even though the rest of the world may disagree, you still believe it to be a beautiful place."
—Iain Thomas
Life is all about gaining and losing, and with it comes the hardest lessons that often test our resolve. Much of growing up is becoming aware of our surroundings and being conscious of the fact that there is as much dark as there is light in this world. Sometimes it feels like the scale dips lower on one side than the other. Much of the innocence we carry in our youth can be lost in the reality of this world and the human mind begins to create destruction.
As we grow up, we are taught to be inquisitive and learn all there is to know of this vast world. What they do not tell you is how much of what you learn comes with a price and how the pain of others becomes your pain. There is no proper guidance to help you navigate this world without letting all the hatred and destruction press you down, yet if you are in a position of privilege you do have the ability to turn that skepticism into a shining light that could reflect in the lives of others.
I should interject at this moment and warrant the other side of the argument because I think it is important to acknowledge why so many people choose to believe in a broken world. You turn on the news and everything you see makes you want turn a blind eye towards the idea of a beautiful place. However, I truly believe we are more than what those news reports portray.
It unsettles me when I think about how easy it is to give in to the bitterness and cynicism felt in the world today. How tempting it is to say "Fine, what could my attitude in life do to change all the hurt in the world." It would feel very much like surrendering a very valuable part of myself. A part that I have come to realize is important to cherish and protect at all costs. It is this very part of myself that keeps me from letting the harsh realities of the world from turning away from things like kindness, generosity and understanding.
I think to live by the words of Iain Thomas is not only hard but also extremely rewarding in the sense of self-preservation. We must not let the harshness of the world around us turn us into frigid and cold people who lack the emotional empathy needed to keep this world from consuming itself. It is time to dispel the idea that because someone feels optimistic in this world, their feelings should be dismissed as the simple notion of a dreamer and that they lack some connection to the "real" world. It is only through hoping and dreaming that there could be an end to all the suffering in this world and it is only logical that it should begin with yourself.
One of the best ways I could help others in gaining this world view is to being with yourself. Take stock into your life and count off the many things that make you happy and even blessed. Then channel that into the lives of others if you have that advantage. It can start off with something as simple as smiling at someone in passing or holding the door open for someone. We neglect to see that even our smallest actions have the biggest impact. They form a kind of ripple effect that goes through person to person.
I can not stress enough how easy it is to let the miseries of this world keep you from doing anything about it. I refuse to believe we are the doomed race we are all told today. That is what we are a led to believe and it is only up to us whether we let that become a reality. There are people still willing to combat the hatred and it is for them that I will not stop in making the best out of a bad situation. It is the simple things in life that keep the light from completely going out.
