Something that has been on my mind lately is bad news. We tend to focus on all the bad that happens in our personal lives and on a more global scale. We focus on the violence, the inhumanity we see in society. I get it.

There are a lot of horrible things that are happening every day. I understand this and acknowledge this. I get that we focus on this because in someways it's supposed to encourage us to change.

However, the way everyone focuses on these bad things tends to make it so no one ever thinks of the good things that happen, as well. I learned from someone who is very special to me, that you have to live and find the good, even if you are experiencing bad times. She literally had to fight for her life every day and was sick as can be, yet she always took the time to point out how beautiful a sunset was, or how happy she was because someone on the floor had gone into remission. She chose to be happy and see the good things, in spite of the horrible amount of pain she was in. I learned from her that I owe it to myself and the rest of the world that I need to try to find the good in every day and not add to the negatives. Because of her, I stop and take pictures of beautiful flowers, and I'm able to find kindness and compassion, even on days when it seems nearly impossible. I have been inspired so many times by people and things that help show the good in the world, that it is very hard for me to ignore it all together.

I will always remember when my family went to Disney. My sister had decided to go on a ride, and my mom and I decided to just watch where the ride would eventually come down and all the passengers would get wet. Next to us was a little girl who was very sick. I don't know what was wrong with her health-wise, but I did notice she had an oxygen tank to help her breathe. I expected to see such a tiny person, devastated that she couldn't go on the rides because of her health. Instead, her and her mom sat there and watched as all the people got splashed. Each time it happened, she would laugh and just get this look of pure joy on her face. She couldn't go on the rides, but that didn't stop her from going and finding a way to enjoy herself. I admire her greatly, even though I don't know her name.

Even when we see these terrible things on the news, which we are apt to see every day, whether it's an act of terror, violence or just how the world is in shambles, you can still try to find the good in the situation. When the Boston Marathon Bombing happened, everyone was focused on how horrific the event was. I fully agree it was a tragedy, and the entire nation felt some sort of emotional response to this act of violence, yet none of the reporters focused on how many people rushed to help the victims, whether it was their job or not. Other runners helped carry people who were injured to help find medical care. People who were watching helped, as well. When you watch the media footage, you can see people running toward the bomb in order to try to help, even as people run away. Firefighters and police helped, as well. So, yes, this inarguable tragedy happened, but there were also so many people who chose to ignore the danger and fear and, instead, run into it in order to help.

I know how hard it can be to find good, especially when there are so many things that happen in the world, but if we don't find the good, we lose hope, and that just means more bad things happen. That hope and belief and the ability to find the good helps us live better lives and contribute to the goodness in the world, instead of just being sucked into the bad. So, please, try to find the kindness, the compassion, the astounding beauty in the world around you. I'm not saying it's easy, but it makes life so much better when you see the beauty in the world around us. Even if it's just a small flower growing out of a sidewalk, where no plant should go, or you see someone paying for someone else's order at a restaurant, do you best to acknowledge the good in the world, and do you best to add to it.