I wrote the following passage after a great deal of reflection and soul searching to pull myself out of a rather depressing period of my life. Although it was many years ago, these words still mean the world to me and I am proud of each and every one of them…
I think that hatred and injustice is so common in our world today because we accept them as a part of our lives. We protect the status quo because our societies, economies, wealth and reputations depend on it. So much that we often choose to believe in the truths we want to hear instead of the truths we want to believe in. That the world is a cruel and dangerous place. That people are born to be selfish and the majority is always right. That if it could be done it would have already been done. We didn’t create the system after all and our job is simply to oil the gears. It’s never been easier with modern science, technology and manufactured comforts, but these are not the truths I want to believe in.
I fear that those who are evil, corrupt and powerful can succeed in deceiving, manipulating and hurting the ones we love because we are too busy to care. Worse still if we no longer care enough to stop them. We cannot allow ourselves to believe that “there’s nothing I can do” or “it’s someone else’s problem” because the opposite of love is not hate, it’s indifference. Sooner rather than later we will all share our problems, mistakes and consequences with each other because our world is becoming a smaller place day by day. Let’s not forget that our opinions, ideas and dreams can make a difference, now more than ever, if we only dare to share them too.
I believe that love is the best defense against hatred and injustice because it is not the world that changes, but people’s hearts and minds. I know that we shy from chasing the dreams we desire the most because they are the ones that can hurt and scar us the deepest. If there is a change you wish to see in the world, learn to trust yourself and listen to your heart. Find the courage to search and fall for true love. Remember that all the money in the world cannot buy love, but love can open doors and hearts for you no matter where you go and who you meet. Always believe in your dreams no matter how impossible they may be or how much you have to lose.
I believe we can’t make the world a better place by winning wars but we can make it a better place by winning hearts.
