Sometimes as a child I would look out the window and stare at the rays of sunlight that kissed the peaks of trees with a gentle touch of warmth. I gazed at the elegant birds that flew among the vast ocean of a sky and I smiled at the radiant blue that promised a stunning day. And maybe I would see white puffy clouds that took the shapes to spark my imagination and send me to a dream land. A slight breeze might pass through the leaves of the trees and cause them to dance a jolly jig.

So soon I might find myself wandering outside, with my bare toes greeted by the soft earth and my skin pricked by the light itself. I would look around and see the uniqueness of every human, and think of how though we appeared different, we were really the same beautiful beings. A dog may have come to say hello and playfully wag his tail in a state of pure joy. I would hear the sounds of other creatures, birds singing a cheerful song, squirrels scattering through the brush, insects alive with many noises, and I would listen and look in awe of the beauty, until I discovered what the real world was like.

Suddenly I'm older and I have seen more, and the evil in the world becomes more apparent, and then I'll think, "Is this harmony?" But now I know that the darkness exists, and that the innocent world is gone. And suddenly the sun is shielded and the light ceases to exist as if it was simply snuffed out. No longer do the birds gracefully fly or sing a merry song. The colors seem to fade as if a withering hand came to steal them away and instead cast a shadow upon the land. And the clouds become wisps of gray or threatening masses of black. The breeze becomes a gusty surge of wind that chills one to the bone, and rips the leaves from the trees so that they crumble to the ashen earth.

What could have been exists no more, because the choice of man is between the light and dark, and more choose the darkness. There was a glimpse of harmony, a taste of light, but it was lost in the midst of destruction and chaos. The evil came and swept the beauty away and now the world is gray. Amidst the acts of darkness, the heart refuses to let harmony in. So as life ends death, one may choose to die in the darkness or walk in the light.

So I'll look out my window and imagine what I saw before the innocence was ripped away. So I'll forget ever seeing the evil and cruelty of the world. I'll choose to do good and try to pretend that the bad isn't there. But I'll know that there is always a choice, to do right or to do wrong. And the acts of light welcome harmony, while the acts of dark welcome destruction.

I choose the way of harmony, so that the sun may shine once more and the sky is ignited with the magnificent blue, and the birds will fly yet again and the trees are barren no more. So I can see people with love in my heart and look at the world as a beautiful place again.