Where Is The Goodness?

It is in you. It is in others. It is everywhere.

You might be thinking that goodness is in very short supply, especially with all that is happening in our country- rise in hate crimes, racist language seen as OK again, prejudice and bigotry considered acceptable,and blatant disregard for human rights. And now, as we are facing the devastating effects of ripping families apart based on the zero tolerance immigration policy issued by our own president and his administration, tensions run high. There is fear, anxiety, and depression that is part of a growing belief that dark times have become the new normal. A sense of impending doom has become a familiar state of being as we wonder who will be the next group to be targeted, what will be next tragedy we face as a nation, and how do we rebuild?

Sadly, this is our reality, but it is only a piece of the entire puzzle. Love and goodness make up the other pieces. So don't give into despair and hopelessness. The rebuilding and lifting up humanity is happening right now. This too, is our reality and that, is our biggest reason for hope.

In times like these, what can you do? You can show basic goodness as a human being.

We are seeing more of us who have been on the sidelines on important issues, now coming forward and taking a stand. Because of times like these, many good people are understanding that it is not just what they think and believe that matters, but what they do. If we look broadly at our lives, we will be reminded that it is during the difficult times that we learn about who we are and how we want to live. We must look for the silver lining - something good can always come from something bad. The setbacks that cause pain, also contain a potential for healing outcomes.

I believe goodness is winning, though the struggle is far from over. There is a positive force gaining momentum nationwide in which we are seeing different groups rising up, coming together, speaking up for what is right, and revealing that 'we the people' can bring about a change. We must not lose sight of this.

Goodness through meaningful action brings out the best in people.

Show compassion.  Act in good conscience. Dare to see what you are most afraid of. Speak the truth.  Be free with your love. Be aware. Aim for peace. Seek understanding. Make the effort. Keep an open mind. Stay informed. Be accepting of others. Practice patience. Be completely involved with life. Remember to keep going. Know what you stand for. Help others. Feed your mind with positivity. Honor liberty and justice for all. Practice gratitude. Work together for the greater good.  Take nothing for granted. Be a voice for the voiceless. Lift others. Live with integrity. Participate in good causes. Take part in peaceful protests. Give of your time to those in need. Give financially to the movement. Exercise your basic freedoms. Cast your VOTE. We must all do our part to preserve what Abraham Lincoln referred to a "government of the people, by the people, for the people."

In times of challenge, chaos, and uncertainty, we must surround ourselves with goodness, period.

Don't let the pain of life close your heart. If you let fear and hate take your life than those who have hurt you have won. Becoming negative and cynical towards the world is taking the path of least resistance. It's really a cop-out. We must never stop trying to be an example of the change we want to see in others. I believe, love and goodness will always remain. And the surest way to both will always be through meaningful action. Always.

In the age of Trump, what is called for is Inspiration, Hope, and Truth. I share with you uplifting quotes to remind you of the goodness in humanity.

1) "I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel." - Maya Angelou
2) "No one and no thing can ever take our core away from us." - Daniel Levin, The Zen Book
3) "... Everything can be taken from a man but one thing, the last of the human freedoms- to choose one's attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one's own way." - Victor E. Frankl
4) "Those who hate you don't win unless you hate them, and then you destroy yourself." - Richard Nixon
5) "Compassion is an action word with no boundaries." - Prince
6) "However good we are, however correctly we seek to lead our lives, tragedies do occur. We can blame others, look for justification, imagine how our lives would have been different without them. But none of that matters: they have happened, and that is that. From this point on, it is necessary that we review our own lives, overcome fear, and begin the process of reconstruction." - Paulo Coeho, Warrior Of The Light
7) "Goodness can sometimes be found in the middle of hell." - Charles Bukowski, Women
8) "Here are the values that I stand for: honesty, equality, kindness, compassion, treating people the way you want to be treated and helping others. To me, those are traditional values." - Ellen DeGeneres

In conclusion, I leave you with the healing words of the great Dr. Martin Luther King. This topic would be incomplete without it. May his words open your heart a little more.

1) "There comes a time when silence is betrayal."
2) "Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter."
3) "Only in darkness can you see the stars."
4) "In the end, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends."
5) "If you can't fly then run, if you can't run then walk, if you can't walk then crawl, but whatever you do you have to keep moving forward."
6) "Darkness cannot drive darkness: Only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate: Only love can do that."
7) "There comes a time when we must take a position that is neither safe nor politic, nor popular, but he must take it because his conscience tells him it is right."
8) "Forgiveness is not an occasional act; it is a constant attitude."
9) "We must accept finite disappointment but never lose infinite hope."
10) "We must live together as brothers or perish together as fools."
11) "I have decided to stick with love... Hate is too great a burden to bear."

Surround yourself with goodness!

Thank you for reading.