The events of this past week have been unsettling to say the least. The divide in America seems larger than ever. On June 5^th, 2016, the day after our country celebrated it’s anniversary of Independence, the video of Alton Sterling surfaced.

Upon seeing the video and hearing about Sterling’s story, I was heartbroken. I did not know all of the details, but my heart broke for his family, for the countless other stories I’ve heard like it these past few years, and for America. The next day, Philando Castile was killed during a traffic stop in Minnesota, in front of his girlfriend and her child. A few days later, 5 cops were killed in downtown Dallas, and 11 others were wounded. Being a DFW resident, this hit close to home. Those same streets that I walked a week ago had become a war zone.

The live video accounts were terrifying. Shots rang out, and bystanders could see victims lying on the ground. People hiding in buildings had no idea if they were safe because of bomb threats made by one of the snipers. At the time that I’m writing this, it has only been a day since that happened, and I think our country is in shock. I know I am at least. I can’t even believe that I’m writing this. How can the situation even improve at this point?

My first response upon hearing every bit of news was to pray. I cried as I realized people wouldn’t be going home to their families. During these past 24 hours, I’ve read countless opinions. Some are from those I would expect, but even my most reserved friends have had something to say. More specifically, I had the opportunity to read the thoughts of my friends who are black. They gave more me more insight into the climate of fear that exists in police interactions, the worries they have for the men in their family who may find themselves in a difficult situation one day. Not being mutually exclusive, I also read the thoughts of my friends who were angry about the mass shooting in Dallas. The policemen selflessly gave their lives, and now leave behind friends and family whose lives will never be the same.

The verdict? I genuinely believe that a vast majority of people want unification. I have not seen one friend celebrate any death. In fact, the tragedies that occurred have interrupted the usual Trump vs. Clinton talk I normally find on my timeline.

But the only way to stop the hate is to start loving others well. The “us vs. them” mentality is so rampant in America. It’s not uncommon for political conversations on social media to end in name-calling. We need to have productive conversations that bring about real change. We need to be willing to stand up for the marginalized, and respect those who have been put into authority, while holding everyone accountable.

In my own life, my love for Christ is what compels me to love well. According to scripture, he spent his ministry healing the sick, defending the poor, and reaching out to those that society did not accept. He did not care about the superficial stuff that mankind spends so much time on. I want that selfless kind of love to permeate our existence. Our cities are broken, but God has a way of fixing the broken and making them brand new. Healing is possible. As I go to bed tonight, I pray for my city once again. I pray for those who are angry. I pray for action. But most importantly, I pray for love over all. Even now, I believe “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.”