Looking for good
Heavy. Heavy and weepy. That’s how I’ve felt on and off the last couple of weeks. There have been some serious tragedies in the world lately and even though they’ve not directly effected my family, I can’t seem to shake these heavy-hearted feelings for those left in mourning. Between a friend losing her son, another friend losing her husband, the horrific shootings in Orlando, the alligator attack and sex-trafficing kidnap attempts, I have not been able to stop thinking about how sad this world can be. How unfair life is for many and how many crazy people are in the world. Now that I’ve ruined your day with these thoughts let me continue with the conclusion that has come to me after days of moping and letting negativity absorb me. Very sad and horrible things have happened recently, yes. There are some serious wack-jobs in the world, true. Life can throw some pretty unbearable things to great people, sadly yes. But what the media fails to dwell on, is that there are millions of wonderful acts that happen every single minute. There are silent heroes all around us, and beautiful miracles that happen every single day. I’m not trying to discount the tragedies above, because the people effected deserve to be mourned with and earnestly prayed for. These sad and horrible things happen and we have a human responsibility to reach out bare one another up. But I just don’t want to lose faith in humanity and in our creator. And I don’t want these things to devour our spirits and let evil win. Let’s talk about some of the good I’ve seen lately. A 21-year-old woman who bought a one-way ticket to Ghana care for orphans with special needs. Now she’s in the process of adopting one of those orphans. Single and young and that’s the path she’s chosen! So unselfish. Now, let’s talk about how my sister who heads up the Utah Refugee Center says that they can’t even keep up with the donations and service groups because the love from the locals wanting to help these refugees, is just pouring in. How about the friend of mine that called to ask how she can explain inclusion to her children because it’s so important to her that they are raised not just excepting but LOVING kids with special needs. And the other day I opened facebook to see hundreds of posts about loving and wonderful fathers. Also, this week I’ve watched Welles be pushed and cheered-on by his big sis to believe in himself and take more steps. Steps with courage on his wobbly little legs that have less muscle than most toddlers his age.
I’m constantly getting emails from women in my neighborhood about helping seeing who can bring a meal to a family in need or pulls weeds for a sick elderly couple. There is so much good and so many great people!
Some of the people I know that are dealing first hand with tragedy are some of the people who continue to see the good, except the love and inspire others to not lose faith.
This week I am going to continue to pray for and remember those who are dealing with loss or pain. And this week I am going to pray to recognize the little acts of goodness all around me. There is far more good in this world than bad. I’m going to let that stand out to me because like I saw on IG recently, “Fear is a liar”. I refuse to live in fear. So I’m going to hold my kids tightly, enjoy summer and dwell on the good while not forgetting the lost.
Also, hope you all had a great Father’s Day! Mine was spent with the love of my life and our family. Wish my own dad was closer, but loved and thought of him from afar.
