In a world ravaged by war, hate, and violence, it is hard to imagine that there is anything beautiful left in this world. Whenever we turn on the news, there are constantly stories of natural disasters wreaking havoc, thousands of hate crimes being performed around the globe, mass murders and suicides, rampant illnesses, and countries being torn apart by greed, politics, and war.

After years of seeing all the disgusting and terrible things happening on our planet, I almost completely lost my faith in humanity. How could I possible believe in the human race when all it seems we do is hurt each other? It was then, during my time of utter loss of faith, that my mom shed light on an incredible truth.

She told me, “It is almost too easy to find the bad in this world. But while you do this, you are overlooking all the good that is there too. So close your eyes and then open them with a completely different perspective in mind. Look around and you’ll see that beauty exists all around us. You just need to look close enough to find it.”

When she first told me this, I honestly believed she was crazy. I thought she was too naïve, that beauty could never exist in such world as ours.

But I was curious. So I decided to do the unthinkable. I listened to her.

What I saw, though seemingly insignificant, was perhaps one of the most eye-opening experiences I have ever had.

Because my mother was right. Beauty does exist all around us, just not in the way I expected. When I stopped and looked around me with a fresh pair of eyes, I saw remarkable things.

I saw that beauty is in the smile on a child’s face. I could hear beauty in the sound of my mother’s laugh. I could see it in the loving smile my brother-in-law gives my sister when she isn’t looking. It’s the excited look on a puppy’s face when he greets his owner after a long absence. It’s in in the guy who helps an elderly lady with carrying her groceries. It’s in the girl so engrossed in her passion of drawing. It’s in the people who help others in some form or another, without expecting in return.

See, beauty doesn’t have to manifest in a material form. Beauty is the love we show for each other. Beauty is in the acceptance we have for others, even if we don’t understand their customs or practices. Beauty is the forgiveness for people who may have wronged us in the past. Beauty is the passion that drives us to pursue our goals.

Beauty is the true moments of happiness we possess.

And this simple truth was all I needed to restore that spark of hope I have in the people of our world. Because if we embody that love, that acceptance, that happiness, we can fight the negativity that plagues us.

If we show love, tolerance, and empathy in the face of all the violence and hate, there is nothing that can stop beauty from spreading across the world.