Spreading Love in a world of hate
Everywhere you look — the news, social media or even day-to-day interactions — you are constantly surrounded by hatred, fear and cruelty.
People today are obsessed with seeing and drawing attention to the evil in the world. We complain about it, we discuss it and we want it to change. But often that’s where it ends; we don’t do anything about it.
Although we are constantly seeing this world of hate, if you choose to look a little deeper, you will also see a world filled with love, compassion and kindness.
Most people have heard the saying that “two wrongs don’t make a right,” and similarly, fighting hatred with more hatred isn’t going to create love.
It is so easy to get caught up in our everyday lives and begin to ignore the people around us.
Love and kindness are an easy thing we all can give, and are one of the only things in this entire world that benefits the giver just as much as the receiver.
A simple smile to someone you walk past on the street, holding open a door or giving a genuine compliment are all easy ways to spread love throughout our daily lives.
Even though news outlets often highlight the worst that this world has to offer, it is easy to make the decision to ignore the evil and find the good.
There are millions of organizations that do amazing work to help improve all aspects of our world. Whether it be Ivory Ella working to save elephants, Compassion International helping kids in third world countries, or even something closer to home like the MAMA Crisis Pregnancy Center, Justice Task Force and after school programs.
In Susanville alone there are many groups, organizations and events that work in both small and big ways to benefit the people in the community.
There are a multitude of food drives to collect food for food pantries in Susanville to provide food for those in need, the MOPS group collected shoes to donate, and churches have cut and delivered firewood during this cold winter season, just to name a few.
On a larger scale, Lassen Family Services provides a variety of training and support for domestic and sexual assault victims, Mountain Circle helps the foster youth of the community, and the arts council showcases the talent of local artists as well as expanding artistic interest and talent of residents.
Too often we allow the good to get overshadowed by the bad, but that doesn’t help anyone.
There will always be bad people in the world and there will always be catastrophes that happen, that is not something that we can control.
What we can control though is how each of us as individuals choose to see the world, if we look for the bad or if we choose to find the good.
It is hard to make an impact on the world but it is easy to make an impact in the lives of people around you. It is a choice that can be made every day, to spread love rather than hate.
