What happens when it all goes wrong?
We should know. We’ve been living that scenario for some time now.
Our society stands divided, perhaps more than it has in a generation. And our divisions have never been more visible or more evident.
There are no winners in a divisive society; we all stand to lose. If you don’t believe that now, take a closer look at what has happened to us.
- Deceit and distrust have poisoned the bonds that once united us.
- Loud voices have spurred on ugly bouts of name calling.
- Racism and xenophobia have come to the forefront.
- Anger has overtaken reason.
All of this is far from ideal — the polar opposite of it, in fact. By accepting a world where facts don’t matter, a world where the opinions of bullies drown out the truth, we set ourselves down a dangerous path. After all, an authoritarian view is seldom a representative view of a society.
The more we feed into this cycle, the worse it gets. Distrust is like mold — once it sets in, it’s hard to eradicate. Rebuilding the bridges we’ve burned will take time, and the project will become impossible if we lose our way completely.
Take all this into account, and our situation might seem dark. Hopeless even.
But I still believe.
I believe in righteousness. That Do Unto Others resonates deep down for us, and always will.
I believe in unity. That what brings us together is ultimately stronger than what drives us apart.
I believe in truth. That we will naturally gravitate toward our foundation of facts, even when they’re not in our favor.
I believe in joy. That anger and hatred are but temporary, and that love and happiness sustain us.
And most of all, I believe in good.
Why do I believe in all this? Because these attributes have driven us forward since the beginning of time. And because we’ve consistently chosen them for the long haul.
Think about it. While we can trace moments of evil all the way back to the Garden of Eden, they’ve been just that — moments. Horrifying, devastating moments, but moments nonetheless.
You see, evil is like a wildfire. It can spark suddenly and destroy everything in its path, but it will ultimately burn itself out.
But goodness is both sustainable and everlasting. It will rise above wickedness every time.
Goodness represents the path we should choose. And while we sometimes go astray, we always find our way back on course.
So, while our present might seem bleak, and while we have a lot of work ahead to mend those broken fences, we shouldn’t give up on tomorrow. For the promise of a brighter day is still ahead of us.
I believe this, with all my heart.
Do you?