To those who feel unloved, misunderstood, or afraid
I understand the world can feel devoid of love, but I swear, there is a spark within humanity that has the capability to care deeply. To love unconditionally. It doesn't always shine through us all, but it exists, it's real, it's tangible, and no one is exempt from it.
We often see it shine through parents, as so many of you do truly love your children unconditionally. I was lucky enough to have that, parents that always put me first. Always listened to me, wanted the best for me, and did everything they could to make sure I had a happy life growing up, and I did. I was very lucky, but as I'm sure many of you reading this are aware, that is not a universal experience.
A long time ago when I was in school, there was a boy who would bully me. He would punch me in the arm, toss things at me, chase me, etc. As you can imagine, I was not fond of him. One day, I was getting a ride home, and I saw him out the window walking to his dad's car, which had been parked 2 miles away from the actual school. I then witnessed him get smacked very hard in the face by his father and yelled at for "being too slow walking."
In that moment it all made sense. I understood the situation and why he had treated the world around him, and me, the way he did. The person who was supposed to be a positive example for him in his life taught him to handle his negative feelings with violence, and I felt horrible for him and his situation. I never viewed him the same way again.
From that point on, I started treating him much more kindly; I no longer cared that he had lashed out at me at all, and in time he stopped messing with me, and we ended up becoming friends. I learned then that a lot of the time, people treat the world the way they feel the world is treating them.
I now know that when someone is full of anger and hatred, that is usually a sign that person has experienced much pain in their lives and likely very little love from their fellow beings. When someone feels deeply unloved and hurt, the odds of them hurling negativity back at the world are greatly increased.
This is why it's so important for us to make sure those around us are genuinely loved, understood, and comforted where we can. To not let our own pain turn us into bad examples for those we care for.
Show others that same pain can be used as energy and motivation to want to prevent those negative feelings in others, rather than cause them. That one of the most wonderful parts of getting to live a human life is the chance to affect the lives around us in a positive way. To pick people up, to comfort them when they're afraid or down. To help show those who feel lost their true power and potential.
Be their light, love them unconditionally, put them first, and show them something they've never seen before.
Show them a strength that defies all odds, that despite pain, despite the flaws of the world, we rise above it every single time. We don't use it as an excuse to do harm to others or to hate the world; instead, we use it as an excuse to flood the world with the opposite. With equality, understanding, and pure, unwavering love for not just those close to us, but for humanity.
Prove to them this world really is their home.
"Well, I suppose it's an invitation, "won't you be my neighbor?" It's an invitation for somebody to be close to you. You know, I think everybody longs to be loved, and longs to know that he or she is lovable. And consequently, the greatest thing that we can do is to help somebody know that they're loved and capable of loving." - Mister Rogers