Here's the Secret

The secret to life is that it is exceptionally good.

There is good in the world. 

Many bad things have been happening lately.  These things often overshadow the good--because that's what bad things do, they create shadows--they block the light. But the light is still there. 

My friend Bette has a good outlook on life, probably because she grew up in NYC.

This Mr. Rogers quote has been floating around, I think it is a good one:

accompanying article about children and media

The first time I watched the previously mentioned Girl Rising documentary I thought it was SO depressing. How can there be young girls all around the world who are being used as slaves and beaten and neglected. It made me feel awful. Watching it again on Wednesday, however, I realized that it is optimistic because the stories were about the girls who were changing their fate, they were rising up out of their difficult situations. 

During my mission in Italy and in other times in my life I have talked to the downtrodden and hopeless. I've felt that way myself and I've asked why? Why do these things happen? Why is there so much heartache?  

My brilliant friend Babetta was also talking recently about how we consume so much violence in the media we watch these days. We sometimes glorify the bad guys--I mean, usually they are the sexy ones with dark eyes and great jawlines. We like the idea of dabbling in darkness, in sin, whatever you want to call it, because those are the "cool" kids. 

There was this unfortunate advertisement at BYU where they claimed James Bond was a good role model because he is clean shaven. Immediate backlash included, "Except, you know, he kills people, sleeps with everyone, and is basically an alcoholic" (all things BYU really stands for).

Our fictional role-models should be the Leslie Knopes of the world. People who are trying to make a difference. ;) Or, you know, Dumbledore...Because I think quoting fictional characters, when they are wise is totally valid:

“It was important, Dumbledore said, to fight, and fight again, and keep fighting, for only then could evil be kept at bay, though never quite eradicated. . . .” (Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince)

I do believe there is an evil force in the world and that it is something we have to fight against, we have to show that dark force the light we all carry for good. We have to show it that no matter how many times we are bombed, beaten, shot at or starved we will rise up. We will help on another. And we will not loose faith in humanity. Because it is not our humanness that causes tragedies. We humans are good. The world is good. The sun is still there when the clouds cover it. We will never get rid of evil, but we need to keep fighting. #dumbledorewisdom