When we look at the world, and we see the pain, we have three choices: Add to it; Ignore it, or Solve it.
What I have learned through the years of being in the midst of those hurting, watching those hurt, watching those that harm, watching those that ignore and watching those that do what they think is healing; we all do it through our own filters.
What if each one of us thought we were solving the pain through our own method and the interpretation from others was: hurting, ignoring, or adding. Who is right? Is the right person hurting others because of the beliefs that he or she was raised by says, “do this to heal our world?” Is the right person the one that says nothing because they do not know which is correct, or how to express what they feel is right, OR if they say something, it wouldn’t be heard? Is the right person the one who takes action through marching, blogging, lobbying, pursuing change once again through their filters?
I am not the judge for humankind. I am 1 person who was born in this era to experience hatred towards me, my family, my friends, and strangers. I am a person who was born in an era that using your freedom comes with a cost of ridicule or criticism. I am 1 person who, through experiences and curiosity, continues to open my mind to the possibilities that the world can find healing.
Through my filters, I believe that healing will not come through added violence or hatred. I believe that it will ONLY come through Love and Kindness.
How do I support my theory or my part in adding to the solution?
I Teach my children to better, so they will grow to do better.
I am having a real conversation with my children about love and kindness. I have them explain to me what love and kindness look like to them. If we do not even know their thoughts on what it looks like, where is our starting point? Asking them what they can do today to show love and kindness helps them to act upon what I teach them. What is one way they can teach a friend love and kindness? How can they show each other love and kindness? If we are not giving them the opportunity to incorporate it not only in their everyday life but in their teaching to their peer groups, how will there be sustainable changes?
If we do not teach our children to not judge others for we all are different, how will they influence the world?
From my perspective, the world has fallen deaf to the words that are spoken. It is time to be an example of our words, so our children, who are our future, can be the change we are so desperately looking for.
It is not what we say that our children internalize, it is what they see us do.
Teach our children better, so our world will be better, and it can finally heal. Show our children to see all of our brothers and sister of color, race, and differences through the filters of Love and Kindness.