Be who you are, love is all you need. ~ ‘If I Ruled the World – Big Time Rush
As an impressionable high school freshman, the words of this band got me through a lot, this lyric in particular. Ever since I heard the song lyric back when the song came out in 2011, it was something that I truly hoped would define the world that I would jumping into once high school ended three years later. A thought I now have is that I was naïve to believe that love really is all you need in this dog-eat-dog world, and unfortunately, that is not the case.
No one, no matter race, religion, ethnicity, gender, sexuality, should be hurt or attacked verbally or physically for something as simple as being who they are. It hurts my heart that we live in a world where people have to pretend to be something that they aren’t in fear of being harmed or even killed. All we hear about these days in the media and in Hollywood is people saying that you shouldn’t be ashamed of who you are. You shouldn’t be ashamed of how you look, who you support, or who you love. At the same time, this same media outlet is full of hypocrites who body shame, slut shame, religion and race shame, and gay bash. It’s such a confusing concept to be encouraged to show who you are, to show individuality and uniqueness, and then be chastised and put down when you take a step in that direction.
Very early in the morning on June 12, 2016, our country was shocked and devastated by the news of what happened in the hurting city of Orlando only 24 hours after anther tragedy involving Christina Grimmie. And one of the worst parts about both of these incidents is that all of the victims, all of those who have left this earth, all of those who are injured and hurting physically or mentally were being who they are and doing something they love. The one hundred plus victims and casualties were out for a night at the club, being who they are without a care in the world, and their lives were cut short by someone who did not have the right to rule their fate. Someone who did not have the right to make our nation, our world, even, fear even more for being who they are.
Grief is something that goes hand-in-hand right now with being who you are because people are going to judge you just out of instinct if you grieve in a different way than them, and everyone affected is going to grieve with a heavy heart. While everyone out there is going to keep talking and saying to be who you are, there are going to be people trying to set back all of the progress made in this country for everyone to be unique in their own way.
I pray to God that one day, love will be all we need in this messed up, landmine of a world we live in, but until that day, I will never fully grasp the concept of how someone could have so much hate in their hearts to take away an innocent life just trying to be who they are in the blink of an eye. But that doesn’t mean those people should win.
So, live your life. Continue to do what you want to do, and live by the morals that you believe are right. One day, the rest of the world will catch up and your efforts will not be in vain. Just be who you are, because one day, love will really be all you need.
