What About the Good?

What About the Good?

Everyone knows that 2020 has been a whirlwind. Amidst a pandemic, the world has seen wildfires ablaze throughout Australia, tensions grow between the U.S. and Iran, the death of Kobe Bryant, his daughter Gianna and 6 other passengers, the murder of George Floyd, as well as the arrival of murder hornets just to name a few. Nonetheless, amongst all this bad, there have also been opportunities for good. Martin Luther King Jr. once said, “Only in the darkness can you see the stars.” The coronavirus pandemic has left the world in darkness, but we all must remember to look for the stars. As few as they may be, small acts of goodness can help fight the darkness we all feel. We asked a few students from various parts of the state to tell us what kept their stars shining bright these past few months.

Selma from Cartersville, Georgia said that for her it was being able to “relax and spend time with friends.” She also noted that she felt like she “lost a lot of friends because of [the] loss of connection.” Nonetheless, she took a positive view on this to realize that it helped her see their “true colors” as well as “appreciate other peoples’ presence and the little things that they do”.

Kharri from Lawrenceville, Georgia explained that her stars shown brightest when she knew others were feeling happy. This is what Kharri said when we asked what kept her head up though these dark times: “My mom got closer to her dream job this year. It’s taken her some time and she’s gone through a lot, but it shown me that eventually things do get better”. This lesson could be used in all of our lives; times are hard, but there are always brighter days ahead.

Gabbie from Winder, Georgia said that she has to “believe that there is a purpose in all of this”. She describes that she has seen “storms sweep our nation, sickness and death overwhelm the world, an increase in crime, and people go hungry”, but she knows down in her heart that she “serves a God who turns everything for good”. When asked to explain, she simply stated: “I have to believe that people will begin [to] walk together and we as a world can overcome the enemy with ‘perfect love that casts out all fear’.”

The world we live in is a cruel one, but there are many things that can unite us. We can learn something from all three of these young women. Sometimes the number of friends is not important when it comes to the quality of the friendship; as well as everything happens for a reason and we should always look for the good in it. This global pandemic has left many scared, hungry, and even penniless, but that is not all that it has done. There are people out there like Selma, Kharri, and Gabbie who have chosen to look to the stars on this dark night and realize that even the darkest of nights will end and reveal a glorious sunrise. Communities have come together to help those who cannot help themselves. A couple in the Philippines gave up their wedding reception funds to buy PPE and aid for essential workers and those who got hit the hardest. Love has blossomed along rooftops. An arcade owner put a regular’s favorite game outside on the sidewalk so that he could play with reduced risk. Pollution is down more than it has been in years. Drive-in movies are back. People are matching their ties to their masks. A man invented a bicycle that washes your clothes while you pedal. Restaurants released their recipes so we could make our favorite foods at home. This is just the beginning.

It is a combination of all these little things that remind you to smile when it feels the hardest. The CDC says to stay 6 feet apart, but this distance is what has brought us together, and these bonds are growing stronger. Remember to look for the sunrise.