There is no hope in violence, no light in the darkness it brings. For every act of aggression, a thousand more will spring. The bloodshed of innocents, the tears of the broken-hearted, the pain of those left behind, all of it is senseless and uncharted.

There is no hope in war, no victory in the battles we wage. For every life lost, a thousand more will be taken into rage. The destruction of cities, the desolation of homes, the fear of those who survive, all of it is a tragedy known, studied and articulated.

In the killing of children, in the suffering of those torn apart by cowardice, there is no hope to be found. For every life cut short, a thousand more will never make a sound. The cries of the mothers, the screams of the fathers, the brokenness of families, all of it is a pain that never falters.

There is no hope in hunger, only temporary relief from the lack of hope. For every meal served, a thousand more will be left to cope. The emptiness of stomachs, the desperation of the poor, the inequality of the world, all of it is a wound that will forever endure.

Let us seek hope through love, kindness, in compassion. Let us find it in the small moments, in the simple acts of passion. Let us strive for a world where violence is no more, where war is but a distant memory, where children are safe and fed, and where hope is a reality.

© Beatriz Esmer