Terror, sadness. Gun violence and terrorism and global climate change. What is our end goal? I'm not quite sure we have both. Either there's a goal with no end or an end with no goal.

I am one of the last generations to have lived through the tragedies of 9/11. Although my memories are faint, the emotions tied to my five-year-old memories are incredibly clear. Sadness, terror. Since becoming somewhat of an adult, my circumference of awareness has grown wider, and rather than seeing good, I see bad.

What are we doing to make this world a better place? Sure, we have hordes of people shipping themselves off to do work in foreign countries, and that work is worth whatever time that individual assigns, but we must not forget the work that must be done at home, on our own turf.

Within the past century, Americans have overcome radical changes such as battling racism, sexism, the intolerance of different religions and homosexual individuals. Some seem to think that because legislation banning these types of discrimination has been passed, that the issue has been solved. It in fact, has not been solved. I grew up in a racially mixed neighborhood, mostly unaware that many of my neighbors did not look like me, did not speak the same language. It never bothered me. What bothers me now, is that people look at me and see a blonde white girl and assume privilege and money. I always feel like I must prove that I have worked for everything I have and will continue to work to do what I believe is right.

But again, the circumference of my awareness continues to widen, and I ask myself, how far? How far much I stretch myself to see true change in the world around me? What will it take for clean energy to be a given and for racial and sexual equality to be assumed? Apparently, it takes much more than legislation.

Like many people, I see hundreds and thousands of videos on Facebook throughout the year that discuss different issues to be aware of, and like many others, I share them. I've gotten to the point where I am so frustrated with myself for caring about all of these issues and wishing to see a change, but I don't know what else I can do to make a difference besides hitting the "share with friends" button. I want and need something that goes beyond the screen of any device. I see these videos of high school students fighting to have gun laws restricted and of police brutality in the black community, and yet all I can do is share and hope that the wind beneath that fire does not die out. Outrage seeps through every pore of my being when I think of the viral gorilla Harambe, and how this animal caught so much of the media's attention. And yet, I understand. We can only absorb so much disheartening news before we need some sense of comic relief, but the truth is, I think we are kidding ourselves. I often think, "Can the world even be saved? Are we already past the point of no return?"

The fighter in me wants to say, "NO, we must continue and keep hope" but of course, my inner critic says, "The damage is done and all we can do is chase blindly for change. "

At the root of all of these problems, is one message that we struggle to pass on to one another and our children. It's kindness. Kindness to ourselves, to our environment and our neighbors. You want to stop your car to grab that can that someone threw out the window? No, that person is an asshole. But what if you are that asshole and you didn't do that in the first place? What if you saw what you assumed to be a man, strutting his stuff in stilettos? Couldn't you just allow them to rock it and say, "Hey, sick shoes?" We have this tiny thing called "ego" that makes the biggest impact, and our own inner critic feeds that. "Don't be that weirdo that asks everyone at the frat party to put their Busch cans in a separate bin" or "You shouldn't bring up to your manager the fact that investing in paper straws may be more expensive now but could have lasting repercussions for the environment". Because why should they care? THIS WORLD IS OURS. It's not mine, and it's not yours and it's not the government's. For better or for worse, we share this planet and all that comes with it. Including the terror and the sadness.

So what can we do so that this world doesn't go to absolute shit? Break down that ego and start seeing the issues of the world as issues of the heart.