Paris. Orlando. Nice. Baton Rouge. Munich. These are just a couple of the locations where tragedy has permeated like a dark, ominous cloud. There is a mass shooting, terrorist attack, major attack, and/or some kind of mass slaughter every week.

According to a tweet by NYU Professor and Political Scientist, Ian Bremmer, there have been 15 mass shootings with 238 killed and 476 injured since 2000. Keep in mind that this data does account for other domestic/international terrorist attacks and mass shootings abroad. But, this statistic speaks volumes about the amount of hatred there is on planet Earth right now. It needs to stop before it conquers the world.

So, what can we do to eradicate hatred? The answer to that question is not easy, and it is nearly impossible to get rid of evil. However, we need to do something and leave this world a better place for our children, grandchildren, and future generations. This should be our common objective.

The first step is to be kind to one another. We never know what kind of struggle that other person is facing. Maybe he/she has a family member who is battling a chronic illness. Maybe he/she had a terrible break-up. Or maybe he/she is torn between the good or bad side. A smile or random act of kindness can change their day or life for the better. If that individual follows your example and passes onto someone else, you have impacted many lives. Think of a little girl throwing a stone in a pond. The stone hits the water’s surface and creates a ripple effect on the pond. When you commit a loving act, you create a ripple effect on this planet.. Be the change the world is in need of.

The second step is to come together as one. When we are united, we can do anything that we set our minds to. We can advocate for human rights and other special interests. We can stop the violence. We can create peace. Like the famous quote goes, “United we stand, divided we fall”.

Finally, the third step is to get rid of hatred and violence. This can be done with just one weapon: Love. When we show support and care for one another after a tragedy, we accomplish exactly what the enemy does not want us to do. They want us to fall and not rise. We should show them that we are strong and loving.

There are too many deaths. These are innocent people that had so much potential in this world. Their lives were ended too soon. We need to take up this initiative and rise above the chaos. I know I am only one voice in the ocean of people, but if I can inspire just one person to carry this torch of kindness, I achieved the purpose of this article: to spread love not hate.