As little children, we are taught that we can make whatever we want out of this world. We are taught that if we dream big and work hard, we will accomplish great things and we can make this world a better place. What we are not told about are the dark matters that appear just as we are starting to get a grasp for the world around us. We are not told about murder, injustice, brutality, and all around fear. As a child, the only thing we fear are the monsters under our beds. We do not even begin to think about what other monsters there are around us. As we begin to grow we see murder, injustice, and brutality, and this is what brings about our all around fear.

With the recent deaths of Alton Sterling, Philando Castile, and the four Dallas Police Officers, I have fear. I have fear for not only my friends, but for my family. The world in which we thought we knew, is falling apart. While it was never really whole, as children, we did not know that. As adults, we are aware of everything that is going on around us. We are aware that this world is not peaceful. This world is not wholesome. This world is not kind.

I have seen many postings slamming those who show remorse toward Alton Sterling, Philando Castile, or the slain police officers. I have seen so many people tearing down one another for their words, for their own opinions. I have seen this divide between my friends. I have even had people ask me, "Who do you stand for?" I do not stand for a side. I stand for justice. I stand for peace. I stand for unity; I stand for the three things that this world lacks. My heart hurts. Every single time I read something derogatory toward blacks, whites, police officers, HUMAN BEINGS, I lose faith in our humanity. I lose faith because we are fighting against each other, not for each other. We are set in our own ways, that we cannot open our eyes just enough to see that this world is corrupt and it could be changed with unity. It could be changed if we stood together and acted as one.

With all of these things happening in our world, whether it be the shootings of Alton Sterling, Philando Castile, the victims of the Pulse shooting, the Dallas Police Officers, and all of the other cruel things that surround us, I have found myself really at a loss for words on how to express how I feel about all of this. About all of the hate that I have witnessed either through my television screen, or through my own two eyes. However, when I feel as if I cannot reciprocate my feelings into words, I turn to music. And here lately, I've turned to one band, Set It Off, and their song, "Wild Wild World."

To quote from the song,

"Destroy and rebuild,
It's kill or be killed,
But we can change,
We can change everything,
A little love,
Never hurt anything
We fight and we bleed,
We live and we breathe
And we can change,
We can change everything"

WE CAN CHANGE EVERYTHING. These are the words we need to repeat. These are the words that we need to breathe. If you are at a loss for words, if you are in pain, if you have lost hope, I encourage you to listen to this song. I encourage you to REALLY LISTEN to the meaning. I encourage you to listen to EVERY SINGLE WORD.

While this article won't heal the pain of those lost, it won't provide justice to those who have been done wrong. It won't even bring this world together, but it is a step for me. Yes, it is a wild, wild world that we live in, but by speaking out and coming together, it could be a beautiful, wild, wild world.