Make something beautiful. I mean it, make something so irresistibly wonderful that it reminds everyone who comes across it that there is still good in this world. It's no secret that our world is messed up. We are surrounded by murder, theft, terrorism, racism, sexism, and many more horrible things. However, we are also surrounded by kindness, love, sacrifice, friendship, and many more wonderful things. So what do we do? How do we combat a world where everyone in it seems to only see the terrible? How do we combat a world where nobody seems to care when things start getting worse?
Simply put, we make something beautiful.
Whether it's a song, poem, film, photo, painting, sculpture, or sack lunch, we need to make something. Something that will make the world seem a little less dark. Something to remind us that there are still wonderful things in this world. Something to remind us that there is still something out there worth fighting for.
The truth is that this world is a wonderful place. There is so much beauty around us. So why is it that we can see the bad in our world so much easier than the good?
James Thurber wrote, "beautiful things don't ask for attention." I believe this quote lies at the heart of why it is so much easier to see the bad than the good. Simply put, we don't see the good as easily because the good things don't ask for attention. It's easy to see what's screaming in your face. It's much much harder to see past that.
We are surrounded by a beautiful planet, amidst thousands of beautiful stars, within an indescribable galaxy. Every day we discover something new about our oceans or our solar system. We are fully capable of seeing the good things around us. We just need to give them more attention. Whether they ask for it or not.
Now, I'm not saying that we should ignore the negative things. It's the bad things about this world that need to be changed. We need to voice our concerns about racism, global warming, sexism, murder, theft, etc. We need to care enough to want to change those things. But when we forget to take a step back from the darkness, that's when we ignore the light. That's when we lose hope. Don't forsake the good in this world in order to change the bad. You need to recognize the good things in order to see that the bad things can be fixed.
So the next time the world seems too dark to endure. The next time you feel like giving up. The next time you ask yourself, what's the point? Make something beautiful. I guarantee you, it will remind you why this world is worth fighting for.
