The good we have

(Gareth Henderson Photo)

So many people are searching for proof of goodness in the world today, amid multiple reports of the exact opposite. It's a relief to know that this goodness is not out of reach, but is natural to us. 

Along with that goodness comes hope, the harbingers of which are compassion, empathy and decency. Just to see those qualities expressed these days makes many people hopeful for the future, even as we struggle to see that light at the end of a seemingly very dark tunnel. Just a moment of hope can have a positive impact, and we can sustain that feeling by treating others with the love and kindness that lifts us up. 

This week saw some troubling milestones in the pandemic, with the U.S. seeing its highest number of coronavirus cases in one day since the crisis began. This information came amid a news cycle that constantly reflects the polarization in American society today — a pattern only exacerbated by the upcoming election. But the only way to move forward while these factors abound, is to find the strength to work toward unity with one another. It is to compassionately cooperate for the greater good, not to sustain old silos of thinking. With that approach, not only will we make progress, but we'll also appreciate each other more as individuals — which is so very needed these days. 

As we work to find unity through compassion and empathy, our natural inclination toward helping one another will, in and of itself, be that proof of goodness so many long see. Such qualities don’t disappear. They are within each of us — every moment — to bring out the greatest in all of us. Going forward, let's work every day to claim and embrace the good we have. If we seek that goodness and employ it, there will be more unity, because more people will want to see it flourish. Together, we’ll start to make a difference in the world, right where we are.

— Gareth Henderson