It's remarkably difficult to remain optimistic as an innumerable amount of tragic news stories on all news networks are popping up each and every day; it seems like every hour at this point. Yes, I have been affected and influenced by these atrocious acts. However, I have the privilege to say that I was not directly affected. There are no words I could write to describe my feelings and condolences to the victims of the LGBT+ community who were impacted by the hate crime of the shooting in Orlando and their friends and families, but just know: I am with you. To the victim of the Stanford rape who remains anonymous and representing all women: I am with you. To everyone that is fighting their own battles and suffering in any way in addition to those facing the many terrible acts of violence occurring today that is absent from this article: I am with you.
I will not waste my time on the perpetrators of these appalling acts because I feel it is necessary to only remember the victims. I am tired of hearing "how their lives could have been," or reading through extensive lists of people losing their lives. I don't want to have to do this. No one wants to, and no one should have to. It is challenging to have to sit back and watch policies not being changed because it is clearly what needs to happen. We need a change and we need it now. It is easy to feel as if you are being drowned in all of this and optimism doesn't seem likely. However, if you look closely, you will see that love is all around. (Yes, somehow it still exists).
I am at the point in my life where everything is changing rapidly. Friends are graduating, I will be graduating from college and going out into the "real world" next year, and I feel as though I just graduated pre-school. One piece of advice from C.S. Lewis that I try to live by states,
"There are far better things ahead than any we leave behind."
No matter what, we have to move on from something whether we are ready to or not. This means that it will get better. No matter what we are going through, over time it will get better. While nothing could ever replace the absence of a loved one it will get better. I pray that it does. Watching all the families and friends present for their loved ones graduating this past weekend accompanied by tears and laughter, I realized love is all around.
Children, as we all once were, are individuals who always see the best in people and situations and it is truly inspiring. While a child can be dealing with something horrific, they still seem to maintain an effortless smile. We may wonder, "how do they do that?" We somehow forgot what it's like to believe the world still has good in it. Another place that will always keep me optimistic is the delivery room. The most amazing thing in life is bringing something into the world. While there are countless lives that are being taken away, somehow the addition of a newborn balances this out; young lives who I hope will do their part to make the world a better place.
Those who are committing terrible acts will be rotting in their jail cells, while we will continue to dance, laugh, and live our lives in clubs like Pulse. Nothing can change anything that has happened, but we are able to make changes in society and these changes need to happen now.
Don't forget to stop and look out for the love that is all around you. I know that it's there.
