Cling to the GOOD!

There was a terrible, terrible tragedy at Sandy Hook Elementary School last week.  Every single person reading this blog knows what I’m talking about. 

In these last few days, I’ve heard words like “evil” and “monster” and “random acts of violence” spoken over and over.  I have to say, I would agree with all of them.  As I kept hearing what an evil world we live in, I found myself feeling discouraged and scared.  Scared for my children and the kind of world they’re going to face as adults.  But, then I remembered something that made me feel so much better.  There may be random acts of violence, but there are also random acts of KINDNESS.  Yes, there is evil in this world, but there is also GOOD. 

For example, a few weeks ago a NYC policeman was caught giving a barefoot homeless man a pair of shoes and thermal socks.  That was kind, right?  It was.  But you know what was even better?  He PUT THEM ON the homeless man himself.  Someone caught him, took a picture, and it went viral on Facebook. 

A couple of weeks ago, I witnessed my mail carrier pull into the driveway of an elderly neighbor.  Then I watched her get out of her vehicle, and pull the widow woman’s garbage can to the house.  People, are you following me? Her job is to stick mail in the mailbox.  She noticed that the garbage needed to be moved to the house, and knew the elderly lady would have a hard time doing it, so she stopped in the middle of her route and moved it herself. 

I witnessed a woman in K-Mart a couple of weeks ago putting Christmas for her children on layaway.  Then I watched a complete stranger behind her pay it off. Yep.  He paid the entire balance of $246 for a woman he didn’t know and never would.  Imagine how she’s going to feel when she shows up to pick up her toys and finds out that she can now use that money for something else her family needs. 

We worry that there will be copycat acts of random violence.  I PROMISE you that there WILL be copycat acts of random kindness.  You can’t help it.  Do something nice for someone and give them the chance to do something nice for someone else. 

There has ALWAYS been evil in this world and there always will be.  I’m choosing to cling to the good – Jesus…My family…My friends…My freedom… Love… Laughter…

Won’t you join me?