“Oh, how our world today needs such simple reminders: Be kind. Treat all people with respect. Let go of hate and let others live their lives in peace.”
— Brandon Burchard
On this chilly, dark morning, I stood on our back porch to watch the super moon, glowing a beautiful golden, as it inched lower in the sky.
Just as it fell on our far western horizon, I came to the other side of our home to watch the glorious pink, orange and blue glow of sunrise.
It is glorious to live in the country. It is easy to feel insulated from the ups and downs of a world which is portrayed too often as spinning out of control.
When the news brings such heart-wrenching stories of very young children taking their own lives because of bullying — with recent accounts of suicides of some who have not yet reached their teen years — there is the strong desire to wrap myself up and never leave this peaceful place.
Big dreams
I wish I could share this spot with the broken, innocent little kids who should be playing out big dreams on their own stage of childhood.
I have never understood the glee some people seem to revel in by pounding others down with mean-spirited hate.
I observed only small doses of it when I was a kid, and I ached for those being beaten down with words, and for the kids blatantly being left out of a game at recess.
In today’s world, it seems as though that would be mild. Bullying seems to start young and gear up into something far worse than most could even imagine.
It is beyond understanding.
Hate
It has caused a lot of problems in this world, but it has not solved one yet,” said Maya Angelou, who lived through her share of it, learning to rise above it with grace.
Give kindness
The only answer, it seems, is to give kindness where we can. Brighten the day for someone who is fighting through a dark chapter. Offer a hand up in even the smallest of ways.
Count blessings for living in a place of peace, and share that gratitude in quiet ways.
It seems so small, but it is our only hope of making the world a better place.
