Let Love Shine

     There was another shooting today: Twenty four shot, five dead, they tell us.  In of all places, a town in Texas... 

     I may be off my rocker here, but it seems to me that there has been a pretty large increase in shootings lately.  It makes me long for the days when I was a kid- when stories like this rarely, if ever, highlighted the evening news.  People just didn't go around shooting others.  It is not that it never happened, it just was so rare that it was practically unheard of!  It also makes me brokenhearted for this generation, who just can't seem to get away from news about shootings...
   
     I am no scholar, nor am I a great philosopher; therefore, I will shy away from the idea that I can somehow solve the great mystery of why humanity has lost it's mind.  Nor am I a conspiracy theorist, so I will not follow Alice and her flag down the rabbit hole of endless possibilities.  It seems anyone can think of an interesting (and often cazy) scenario if they stare at their t.v. too long...
   
     I think it would be a tragedy to politicize the events of the day, though I know people on every side of government and media are already drooling at the mouth with the narrative possibilities to push their respective agendas.  I will, instead, remind you of my thoughts- and hopefully they will help to illuminate something we all need to remember.
   
     There is, in this world, evil.  Evil has many names and wears many faces.  Sometimes he appears as a gunman. Sometimes he appears as betrayer.  Sometimes we think he is a friend...  But often, we cannot control how he will arrive.  We can only control how we react.  And in reaction, we can control what evil can and cannot do to us.

     The easy response to evil is fear or anger.  These are easy emotions for us to release; and they easily manipulate us like a puppet on strings.  In many cases, others will see our reactions of fear and anger as opportunity- and often those very people are the ones who pull the strings that now dictate further feelings and actions.  But that is not the best or most beneficial response.

     I implore you instead, that you react in kindness and love.  Instead of uncontrolled breakdowns, take hold of your emotions.  Instead of going into attack mode, seek out others to show love and compassion to.  When we react in said fear and anger, too often we reflect the very evil we hate.  But perhaps if we instead set aside ourselves for a moment, and determine that evil will not beget more evil in our hearts; if we instead embrace love, mercy, compassion- perhaps then we can begin to unravel the hatred that has gripped us by the neck. 

Let us live like we love, even in darkness- so that our light may shine in the blackest of places.