Remember, there is still good in the world
It’s been a bit of a devastating week. My car broke down and I had to call AA (thanks mum for making sign up with them all those years ago), I was given a boring old plain flat white when I ordered a caramel one, and three of my nails broke (look, it’s been a mission, OK).
Ordinarily, I’m here to write about my, let’s face it, trivial first world problems and have a bit of banter, but this time is different.
Terrible events have happened. The world is on edge, and there are bigger things to worry about than my messed up coffee order. So, let me start again. It’s been a bit of a devastating week. A devastating past few weeks, in fact.
Someone bombed an Ariana Grande concert in Manchester, which was filled with a lot of children and young people.
A van was driven into pedestrians on London Bridge, followed by three men fleeing the van and attacking people with knives.
In Paris, hundreds of people were ushered into the Notre Dame cathedral after a man armed with a hammer attacked police officers.
There are others that I’ve missed. The ongoing threat of ISIS. Conflict in Syria, the Middle East, and many, many others.
Quite often I’ll hear my mother utter under her breath that there is so much hate in the world. She’s right. There is. But there is also good. Amid all this conflict, it is important to remember that good.
It’s during times like this I am reminded of some sagely advice from one of my favourite animated movie musicals, The Prince of Egypt (which BTW has a soundtrack that would rival even the best of animated Disney films).
Amid an ongoing battle between Moses and Rameses (the Pharaoh who is enslaving the Hebrew people), one of the characters asks Moses how the Hebrew people could ever hope to be free, when the Pharaoh has so much power of their lives, able to strip them of everything.
‘‘But there is one thing he cannot take away from you: your faith,’’ Moses replies.
Yes, he’s talking about faith in a Christian context, but I still think this sentiment is relevant to today’s world.
Faith that there is still good in the world. Faith that there are still good people out there, doing good things.
Good doesn’t have to, and often doesn’t need to, happen on a big scale.
Good is checking in on your elderly neighbour when you know there’s going to be a severe weather event hitting your city.
Good is picking up the discarded McDonald’s bag that someone has chucked out of the window onto the road and putting it in the bin, because we only have one planet and every little bit helps.
No-one has to see you doing good in this world for it to be validated.
Good is looking after one another - one of the things that I think is the most important.
If your colleague who you don’t usually talk to is looking a bit glum, ask if they’re OK.
Maybe it’s the end of the long week and your husband, wife, mum, dad, whoever, needs a hug. Often a hug will say more than words can.
Or perhaps you haven’t seen that kid who never misses a class/ lecture in a few days. Check in with them the next time you cross paths.
While many things may happen far away from our doorsteps, that doesn’t mean we don’t feel the impact of them.
It’s ok to feel upset or afraid of the recent conflicts in the world. You definitely wouldn’t be the only one in that boat.
But do remember, for all the atrocities, there are still good people spreading messages of hope, love and security, from grand gestures, to even a reassuring smile.
Don’t go giving up on the world just yet.