I am writing this article because recently I have witnessed senseless hatred and I know if we all try to expand our horizons, that there will be a little less hate in the world and a lot more love.

All of us grew up differently than each other, and there’s absolutely nothing wrong with that. Where the problem lies is the lack of exposure we allow ourselves to have to other ideals and cultures as we get older. In the past few years, a plethora of movements have taken over America, and it has been incredibly interesting to watch all of the different reactions.

From the #MeToo movement to professional athletes taking a stand on their various platforms, we as a country have been exposed to a side of our culture that we don’t like to necessarily see. We’ve been forced to look at the most hideous parts of our history head on, and quite frankly, I think it’s done a lot of good.

We have been forced to ask ourselves if we truly value our female or minority co-workers. We have been challenged to reflect on our interactions with others and see if we’ve done anything to make someone else feel uncomfortable or threatened. We have been pushed to look in the mirror and say, “what have I done to contribute to this and what can I do to change it?”

A lot of people have pushed back against these movements and basically said the claims were bogus or the protestors are overreacting. But it’s interesting to see that we learn more about our culture through the reaction of our nation, not the protest itself.

I’ve seen women band together and start to build each other up instead of tearing each other down. I’ve seen minorities have more pride in their culture than they ever have. But the best part is I have seen the most calloused people reflect on themselves and make amends with the people in their life that they feel they have wronged.

No, America is not perfect. No, we will never be perfect. But I will say that while I’m sad that it takes this many movements and this many people coming together to get others to listen, I am so excited for the future of our country. Our children and grandchildren are going to see a much more tolerant and loving people, and the result of that will be that the generations that follow us will be a more tolerant and loving people.

We still have plenty of problems. There are still aspects of our culture that scare me because I am afraid of the world my children will grow up in.

But, I have hope. I have hope because I have seen people change. I have hope because I see my community changing. All it takes is one community at a time, and hopefully, we will all have a greater understanding of what others are going through. We will have more compassion towards one another. We will learn to love each other regardless of differences.

I am excited about where we are headed, and I think you should be, too. Don’t be afraid to learn someone else’s story. You never know, they could be pretty similar to you.