I noticed something recently... Some people are just really good at ignoring the bad in the world. Or at least in their world. Is it a willful ignorance? Or is it just circumstantial? Regardless, there is one simple truth here-- no matter the time or place, there is always evil to be found.

Now, I don't say that to be a Debbie-downer or a pessimist. I say that just because I've noticed that to be the truth. It's a simple fact that our whole world is permeated by both good and bad. To believe that inside our little bubble, whether it's a friend group or a school or a home, there is absolutely nothing bad going on or no temptation to be found; that is absolutely foolish and ignorant. But it's a lie to which I think many of us often fall prey, myself included. However, we can also fall prey to the opposite lie-- that everything is always bad, there is no good. So how do we find a happy medium? What is the happy medium?

Think about your world-- the people you see every day, the places you go, the things you see and hear. Now in all of those things, do you see pain? Do you see suffering? Do you see people making poor decisions and others being affected by those decisions? Do you see some people being absolutely stupid? Do you see some people being pulled down day after day having done nothing to deserve it? If you don't, I'd encourage you to open your eyes just a little bit wider, because it's all there... However, if you're the person who sees only those things, if you don't also see the joy and redemption and hope that dwells amidst that darkness, I'd encourage you also to open your eyes. You see, life is always a matter of perspective. Some can see all good or some can see all bad without very much difficulty. But you have to work to change your perspective a bit each day... Because the happy medium between pessimism and optimism is realism. It's living in recognition of things for exactly what they are, but choosing to hope for the good to prevail.

I say all of this because I have seen people on both ends of the spectrum. Some people choose to believe that life sucks and there's nothing they can do about it. Then there are the ones who say life is great if you just make the right decisions and hang out with the right people. But if you're reading this, I hope I've convinced you to alter that perspective a bit. Not necessarily for yourself, but because if you can't take that perspective, how can you ever hope to help or be helped by other people? Live in that happy medium. Live in hope.