Let's be honest: the world isn't perfect. There's violence, political disputes, inequality — and that's just to name a few. Even with all the progress we make, the milestones we reach, and the change we create, the world will still have its problems. Maybe you won't be affected by those issues. Maybe you've never dealt with the challenges that so many others face daily. Even so, those problems still matter, and they should still matter to you.

Sometimes it's easy to forget that this world isn't always fair when it's not your life being dealt a bad hand.

It seems to me that so many of us have become desensitized. We see images of people fleeing their war-torn countries, and we don't bat an eye. Drive for long enough in any city and we'll find someone homeless and asking for help, and we'll turn the other way. We see single parents struggling to provide for their children, to keep a roof over their head or get them food to eat, and we scoff. It's easy to say they need to deal with it themselves, that they should just get a job, that they shouldn't have had so many kids, or that it's not your fault they're in this situation. It's easy to say, "Well, it's not me. Why should I care?"

We lack empathy.

We no longer ask ourselves, "If I was in their shoes, what would I do? How would I feel?"

Instead, we say, "They aren't trying to fix it. What did they do wrong to be in this position? They're lazy. They're no good."

Things aren't always so simple, so black and white, that there can always be a clear reason why someone is in an unfortunate position. People make mistakes — nobody is perfect. Unfortunately, they affect people differently. Unfortunately, there are some situations that are out of our control. There are systems in place in this world that make sure to keep those that fall down, and too many of us just accept that.

I do believe that our actions have consequences. However, I also believe in second chances, in learning from our mistakes, and in growing from our past.

We need to have compassion for others again. We need to see those struggling and at least consider what it might be like if that was us instead. We need to ask ourselves what we would do if difficulties were ever to strike us. We need to take a hard look at ourselves and question if we're any better than those we judge so harshly. Did we make the same mistakes and just never got caught? Were we given more opportunities? Were we just lucky?

Empathy, compassion, sympathy — don't let these traits die out.