Humanity is an Ocean…

Like most Americans, I remember exactly where I was when 9/11 happened.

I was at my high school, and they wouldn’t clue the students in on what was going on. After all, so many people commute from New Jersey to New York every day. I had classmates whose parents worked in the city, friends whose dads were in the twin towers, family who was near it all. The school didn’t want us students to panic. I remember calling my mom to see what was going on, hearing her voice crack over the phone. When I later realized the weight of what had happened, I remember being overcome by the feeling that people are evil. Soon after on a chilly fall day when I looked at the billows of smoke and fog, which had taken the place of where the buildings had stood tall, I wondered how we would ever recover.

Since that fateful day, every time there is a tragedy, I have the same distinct feeling of sadness for the darkness that exists in this world, a thought of, What is wrong with people? Sometimes it’s a recurring notion, like when I deal with abused animals while volunteering at the Humane Society. I also feel it in instances that are trivial in the overall scheme of things, but in the moment make you question humanity. I felt it deeply after the Newtown shootings occurred, and I’ve been engulfed in it this week in the wake of the Boston Marathon tragedy. My heart especially aches when I look at this picture of one of the bombing’s victims, 8-year old Martin Richard:

(source)

No more hurting people. 

Yet another life senselessly lost… and it seems as though these types of shocking events have happened a lot lately.

A lot of lives will never be the same, and as our society mourns, it’s easy to form the belief that evil is everywhere, that those who want to cause us harm are around every corner. But the problem is that if we hold this cynical attitude, we’re too busy focusing on the hate to see that there too is kindness around us. We need to grieve, need to find out whose responsible, need to figure out ways to ensure that less of these tragedies are even possible, but we can’t let the venom of the people who commit these acts sting us so badly that it forever defeats us.

I want to live in a world where good overcomes evil, where acts of kindness are stronger than acts of twisted hatred. Holding this sentiment can be difficult with so many examples of cruelty around us, but I’ve been thinking about this a lot since seeing this tweet from Ellen DeGeneres:

I don’t know about you, but I’m in need of some inspiration, some examples of kindheartedness and words of strength and love  – things to help remind me that most people are good, and that this belief will prevail. Below are some things I’ve come across that I find to be encouraging in wake of such a tragedy. Please feel free to share your thoughts and any words that inspire you below.

After the Newtown massacre, NBC news correspondent Ann Curry asked the public to perform 26 acts of kindness, one for each of the victims. In response to Boston, she’s begun a #26Acts2 movement with the same concept. Search #26Acts2 on Twitter and you’ll find many people who have performed random acts of kindness as a tribute to those effected in the bombings.

(source)

(source)

”Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around.” – Leo Buscaglia

PHOTO – Christians showing up to a gay pride parade in Chicago to apologize for homophobia in the church:

(source)

This article about the Boston Marathon tragedy being met with lovely acts of kindness. The piece includes this comedian’s response to the tragedy and his belief about humankind…

”When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, ‘Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.’ ” – Fred Rogers, ”Mister Rogers’ Parenting Book”

I received an email from the Challenged Athletes Foundation today, and they’ve set up a donation page to help support those injured in the marathon blasts. As you may remember from when I was involved in their San Diego triathlon challenge last year, the organization’s mission is to help support physically challenged athletes. For those who lost limbs in the tragedy, CAF plans to work with prosthetists and will be offering a free clinic in Boston this fall that victims will be encouraged to attend.

(source)

This photo of a villager in Cuttack City, India, bringing kittens to dry land during a flood:

(source)

(source)

”You must not lose faith in humanity. Humanity is an ocean; if a few drops of the ocean are dirty, the ocean does not become dirty.” – Gandhi