I feel it too. It is easy to hate. Maybe we could try harder to love. 

Hate seeps into our bones, rules our integrity, and convinces us to forsake those we love. 

Hate is toxic. It spreads to our neighbors; people we once trusted. It spreads to our coworkers and friends; people who once trusted us. We lose sight of what truly matters. That is what we have in common now. Is that who we want to be? Is that how we want to define ourselves?

Hate is toxic. 

But maybe, just maybe, loving is easier.

We live in world where the answer isn’t always right in front of us. Loving people is hard, but do we really want our legacy to be a world of hate? It’s so easy to forget what we’re fighting for, and so easy to focus on what we’re fighting against. This is a sad reality. We are good at picking out each other’s flaws, when we should embrace the things we appreciate about one another. 

Maybe we could love, instead of hate.

And maybe, just maybe, we could be better. 

We are all guilty of vindictively trying to blame “the other side,” but the truth is, hate and fear have no place in this world unless we give it one. We did this. We are guilty of not listening and not respecting one another.

Maybe we could talk to each other. 

And maybe, just maybe, we could try to love each other. 

We tend to ignore our friends and family who are going through a rough patch. It’s not easy to be the person someone depends on, especially when you have other things going on in your life. Often people just need someone to talk to, someone to listen and, above all, empathize. Putting ourselves in other people’s shoes is hard, but

Maybe, just maybe, we could make someone’s life a little better. 

We will love each other, even when it’s inconvenient.

But how could we possibly make the world a better place when there are so many ideas and people that we struggle to understand or trust? Does our distrust mean we should forsake a core belief that people deserve the chance to change? Will we choose hate? 

No. we will love, even when it’s hard. 

And then maybe, just maybe, the world will be a little better.

Our religions all speak of love. How did we lose this? We waste so much energy hating one another. We waste so many lives. We kill each other out of fear and hate. How have we managed to become so divided, and to what end? 

We will love harder than we hate. 

And maybe, just maybe, the world will learn to love.

We know how difficult it is to change people’s opinions, because it’s equally as difficult to change our own. Our lives shouldn’t be dictated by what we disagree about. Our lives should be measured by how fiercely we love one another. 

We will love more fiercely, no matter what.

And then maybe, just maybe, the world will love a little harder.

Unfortunately, we breed distrust and indifference into our children and deny them the right to love without boundaries. But we have a unique opportunity to build a better world for them and fill that world with love and respect.

We will respect one another, we will appreciate our differences, and WE WILL LOVE. 

And maybe, just maybe, we’ll teach love to our children.

But all of these “maybes” can’t be done by one person. Unity through love should be the ultimate goal.

WE MUST LOVE.

And then maybe, just maybe, we will make the world a little better for everyone.

Suzanne Thomas