Sparks of Hate

[via]

After some of the horrific reports that have been filling the news lately, I've been thinking....about a lot of things. 

First of all, there is so much hate in the world today; it's all around us. There is no excuse for it. It is something that cannot be tolerated because it will consume us. Ferguson. Orlando. Charlottesville. This hatred is destructive and fatal.

Hate spreads like wildfire and burns all that it touches. One spark can ravage an entire forest - one hate-filled word can ruin a friendship, one hate-filled moment can destroy a life, and one hate-filled person can devastate a nation. A wildfire won't die if you ignore it - at least not until it has destroyed everything in its path. Likewise, we cannot ignore hate. There are a lot of sparks in this world, and if we don't do something they will prevail.

Love is the only answer. 

That sounds beautiful, doesn't it? Well, it's not always. Love is hard. Hate is the easy way out. Love doesn't always look pretty - sometimes love is dressed in work pants and drenched with sweat. Sometimes love is standing in the line of fire, getting bullied and hurt so others don't have to stand alone. Sometimes love is a sleepless night to help a friend. Always, love is a broken heart from the hurts of this world. Love is caring, when you don't always know the words to say, or even how to help, and it hurts. But it's the only thing that will put out these wildfires of hate. 

Yeah, sometimes it can seem hopeless. 

But that's because we're focusing on the wrong things. We're focusing on the hate that we see - whether it's on the news or in our personal lives. But that's the best way to get burned. There is love in the world; in fact, it's all around us too. And to the onlooker, it is beautiful. So if you haven't, start looking for it. And put on your fire-fighting clothes and start loving with all the dirt, sweat and tears you got!

One last thing.... below are some of my ramblings about how current events can affect us. We listen to news that is exciting, that has a shock value. And sometimes our minds can become trained to look for that shock-value in our everyday life until we make ourselves sick with anxiety and depression. We long for the good old days, when things were better. But maybe they weren't so much better then. Maybe our focus was just different, and we didn't have so many expectations. So it also has a little bit of a challenge in it... To focus on the good, because every thing, every day, every person has some good - and that is beautiful. And also, to let go of your expectations and be fully present in this moment. Because that, darling, is the only way you'll ever be able to find the good and see the beauty of this life. 

love and peace, from a girl who's just a dreamer. 
--


we long for excitement.
/something new.
/something to change our minds.
/something to consume us.
we search for answers
/in places they will never be found.
we place our value in shock.
with nostalgia for the good old days.
we're desperate for beauty.
/weary from these expectations.
because reality always burns us.
and there are no more places to hide.

but what if we have it all wrong, love?
what if the beauty is here, right in front of us?
what if real value is what we make it
and these are the good days?
what if the answers are hidden in plain sight?
and all we need to do to change our minds
is burn these expectations
and consume ourselves with reality?