This week my heart is heavy. Tragedy has been in the headlines since Sunday morning. For a week straight there has been story after story of pain, loss, suffering, terrorism. It is so easy to be discouraged. A little boy taken away from his parents by an alligator while on a family vacation, a young singer was shot and killed while signing autographs after a concert, and the worst mass shooting in American history occurred early Sunday morning.

Multiple times this week I have found myself at a loss for words-- weeping with the hundreds of people who are grieving. Everywhere I turn there is pain, suffering and loss. I contemplated not writing about these events-- in fact, I contemplated not writing at all. What could I say that hasn’t already been said? Is there any encouragement to be found in one of the saddest weeks of my lifetime?

Just when I thought I would never find a silver lining I saw something in the American people I haven’t seen in a long time. I saw complete respect, compassion and love. This week has been one of the saddest in American history but I believe the pain has brought out something in the American people that we need to recognize and protect.

In the midst of tragedy Americans have been able to put aside their differences and support each other. People from all different walks of life have shown compassion and love for the ones who are suffering.This is where I find my encouragement. This week has shown me a side of the American people that doesn’t often come to the surface. Before this week it seemed like everywhere I would look I would see political debates, hatred, and arguing; this week that has been replaced with love.

While there have been those people who have used this week’s tragedies to promote their own political or religious agenda, the vast majority of people (at least as far as I have seen) have put their bickering on hold in an attempt to show compassion to their grieving neighbors. This gives me great hope for the future of our country.

What if our love and compassion for one another didn’t end when the media stopped covering a tragedy? What if we didn’t need a mass shooting to have respect for others? What if we could see past our differences everyday-- not just when difficulties arise? I believe that if we do these things America will be stronger than it has ever been before.

My encouragement in the midst of this tragedy is simple: love each other as much next week as you have this week. Respect those who are different from you even when they aren’t hurting. Make the decision to not let differences in opinion create hatred in your heart for those who don’t think the same way.

It is only when we can have respect and compassion for all people, despite our differences, and at all times, that things will begin to change for the better in the United States and in the world.