Within the past year, I have noticed the trend go around of people taking pride in being hateful and flaunting their disdain for anything and everything. While I have not seen this happening nearly as much recently, I still can’t quite wrap my head around this mindset that so many people around me have seemed to share.
Now I’m not saying that I don’t understand the concept of being hateful or the act of hating a few certain things here and there. There are plenty of things I hate about the world, too. Most of which, though, stem from the vortex of hate our society oozes so abundantly. Over time, I have come to realize that a great deal of the problems we face in both our day-to-day lives and the world at large would not exist without this hatred. Hate wages wars and ruins countless lives. Nothing good blossoms from hate aside from the drive to make a change with the intent to repave your path with love.
I have always found joy in the mundane and all the little things in life. For as long as I can remember, I’ve found myself sitting back and simply observing the world and the people around me, letting all the little memories I capture further enliven my soul. I adore mistakenly overhearing two strangers chit-chat and chuckle in passing for only a brief moment, likely to never even see one another again. It never fails to brighten my day when I see someone offer to take a shopping cart from someone in a parking lot to spare them the trip to the buggy keeper. It’s always endearing to see someone at a restaurant wave back or play peekaboo with a child who’s eager to connect with the people at the surrounding tables. It’s a beautiful thing to watch people lovingly help with the fundamental enrichment of children’s minds rather than crushing their spirits before they even know what it means to be disappointed or ignored.
Even more thrilling is the opportunity to be the person to have even the smallest positive impact on a stranger or a friend. I don’t think twice before helping someone pick up something they’ve dropped, holding a door, giving a compliment, letting someone in front of me in line who seems to be in a hurry, or anything of the like. It is always so refreshing regardless of whether I am the one receiving or sharing the love.
On the other hand, witnessing moments of hate or unnecessary rudeness makes me ache. It upsets me to see people go out of their way to impose their negativity on everyone around them. One little thing can ruin someone’s day just as easily as something small can make their day. I will never understand how people can take their anger out on others, especially strangers, when instead they could just rectify their own day by having positive, friendly interactions with strangers and help them thrive as well. Though what is most devastating is when bitterness and hatefulness are reactionary to positivity and enjoyment.
It is important we do our best to counteract both hostility and negativity. Everything is beautiful when looked at with love, but everything is far more grim when looked at with hate.
