I wanted to write about something funny or bright to lift this dark time.

But that would be ignoring the problem, and I think that’s gone on long enough.

Ferguson, Missouri.

Trayvon Martin.

Orlando, Florida.

Sandy Hook Elementary School.

Dallas, Texas.

These situations seem to be a frequent occurrence, and the issue only continues to grow.

But I don’t want to talk about Black Lives, All Lives, Blue Lives, or even American Lives.

I think it’s about time we start considering Human Lives, because at the end of the day, that’s who we all are.

Regardless of our citizenship, skin pigment or religion, we are all one race — the human race.

And there is no room or reason for hate between us.

Every day, we are mean, rude, annoying and inconsiderate to each other for the most insignificant reasons.

Why do we do that?

Why are we like this?

The hard part of this subject is that no one can answer that for us.

We must answer each within ourselves.

Maybe it’s because we’re tired.

Perhaps we once had someone cut us so deep we can never heal.

Or maybe we just know no other way to live.

None of those justify inflicting pain on another human.

In fact, there is no justification for much of what occurs in our midst.

Yet, we do nothing.

We call for gun laws or more military power or new senators, but those will solve nothing.

The problem with our country and our world is not bullets, or bombs, or old faces in DC; it’s hate.

And hate can only exist where we allow it to.

So, my fellow citizens of Earth, in light of our current situation, I ask one thing of you.

I do not ask you to call your representatives.

I do not ask you to join the military.

I do not ask you to give up your guns.

I ask you to love.

Imagine how different our world would be if we lent our neighbors sugar and eggs again.

What if we actually bought a hamburger for the homeless woman on the corner?

Or maybe we could all simply smile at a frustrated mother in the grocery store.

There is a wave of hate and darkness attempting to cover us all, and how we respond to it will define our generation and change our world.

Let’s band together and make it beautiful.

I know, we’re all busy and exhausted.

I know we just want things to be “normal” again.

But perhaps the normal we once knew wasn’t normal at all, but simply what we tolerated.

Our world is changing, and it’s up to us to ensure that it changes for the better.

I refuse to watch it all go up in flames of hate.

Won’t you join with me?

Loving others doesn’t mean we always have to be happy and smiling or even like who they are.

But, if Jesus died for us all, I think we can all agree to get along.