Embracing Love And Hope

​by Gray Graham

When I first started writing for our website many years ago, I was the person that pointed out those things that most people overlooked that were maybe not so great. I tried to do it in the most loving, positive way I knew how making sure to learn along the way.

​​​Funny thing is that approach got me a lot of hate, a lot of attacks, and a lot of people that walked away from my loving message. Even the person that first supported me in my efforts has since decided that path was not for them.

I would say that many people today believe things are worse today than they were back then. Sure some people have more money, better jobs, married, and kids; but is the average person happier today than they were just a few years ago?

Even if we are happy in our own personal individual lives how often does that happiness spread to other people? Do we feel a similar joy when we interact with other people? I am guessing most people feel like the answer is no.

Unlike so many inspirational and motivational speakers, I am not going to pretend like there are not a lot of people doing a lot of bad things to others in this world. Over the past few years there are groups of people that have made it their life’s work to make the lives of others as miserable and as difficult as possible. The kicker is they do it with a smile and it would seem with great joy and pleasure.

Often there is a reason that many people appear to be cold and guarded when dealing with other people.   Just in our everyday lives most deal with a number of situations that test our faith and our patience and our strength to endure. 

So yes there are a lot of bad people in this world doing bad things, that doesn’t mean that we should let their bad behavior affect our love and caring for others and the hope of a better tomorrow. I have seen far too many people that have decided that the only way to fight mean and nasty people is to become mean and nasty also. It is the in thing to be bad, mean, and nasty. Who today wants to be thought of as a good nice person?

I for one do and will do so even if I am the only one. Luckily for me there are many good people in this world. They are not perfect. They are not always nice. They don’t always do the right thing, but they do always work to be better and they get it right more times than not.

You can still do what’s right in life without being dragged down to the levels of evil and wickedness. You just have to accept that you may not have much company. I would go so far as to say you should expect that most people are going to behave exactly the same regardless of how much love and kindness you send their way.

Being the best you is something that you do for yourself and your own peace, not so that it will be reciprocated by others. We are blessed because sometimes it is and that is what makes life so great. Remember the next time something upsets you and makes you angry, it is just as easy to make the best of that situation with as much love and hope as you can find as it is to give into anger, hate, and despair. It is always our choice, so choose wisely. Trust me you will feel much better.