Based on what most people see around them in the world, it would be easy to believe it’s a terrible, negative place filled with anger and hate. But that’s not necessarily the case. Not that those things don’t exist, of course they do. It’s just that they’re so fucking loud, you could certainly be forgiven for thinking that’s all there is out there.

It’s easy to see why young people in particular, whose view of the world is dominated with a tsunami of negativity everywhere they look, (think news, social media etc), might despair. For them, they are yet to see the rest of the world. The best of the world.

The news has long worked to the “if it bleeds, it leads” philosophy. Bad news sells. I’m not entirely sure why, but it does. The worse it is, the better it is. So that’s what they roll with. It’s not that there’s not plenty of good news out there, but it doesn’t get the same mainstream coverage the bad stuff does. So negativity wins.

Same with social media. The people who are most motivated to comment, are usually the angriest. So that’s what we see. When I or anyone else does something wrong on social media, people with something negative to say won’t and don’t hold back. Out they come. Again, it’s easy to believe that’s all there is.

But this morning I received a really beautiful, supportive message. It was a private message, so the world didn’t see it. Which is a shame, because what the world needs right now is more love and kindness. Actually, maybe it doesn’t need more of those things, maybe it just needs to see the love and kindness that’s already there. (Although more of it would be nice too. 🙂 )

If those people commented as much as those with negative things to say, we’d have a much more balanced, and better view of the world. And ‘those people’, are you.

So this is me sharing that idea with you now. If you see something good or right or beautiful, take a few seconds out of your day and let someone know. If it’s appropriate, do it in public, and let everyone know.

Set an example that there is good in the world. And let it be as visible, and as loud, as all the bad things.

Because nothing should be louder than love.

 

With special thanks to the person who inspired this article by sending me such a lovely message.

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NOTE: I collect hearts. I collected this one in Rotorua, New Zealand. It’s from JS Ceramics and you can get them here.