I remember when tragedy struck and how it always had such a profound impact on me when I was younger. There was a deep feeling in the pit of my stomach, a gnawing confusion as to why people would hurt others, hurt themselves, or wish pain upon another. I clung to my ignorance because I never truly wanted to understand what evil was.

As time passed, it was heartbreaking to feel how numb I had become to tragic events, which seemed all too common. I hated that sadness and disturbing occurrences had become so integrated into our daily lives that it became easier to accept the evil humans could inflict. Each time I faced this pain, it became another layer of coldness that I resented.

We try so hard to understand what goes through the minds of those who do wrong. We make excuses, try to rationalize, or attempt to find humor in situations. The truth, however, is that we should never grow accustomed to destruction, to pain, and to sadness. We should never be okay with hatred or treat life as a joke when it is so precious.

We should never give up on this world or the people in it. We must always hold onto that deep feeling of sadness, that inability to understand it all, because it means we still have hope for this world. Hope that there is more good than bad. And in that hope lies our strength, our compassion, and our commitment to making this world a better place. ❤️

©️ Beatriz Esmer