The World Needs Love: Are You Making the World Better or Worse?

During my time off of writing, trying to find myself after devoting my life to being a caregiver for four years, I fell into a rabbit hole as I watched as the world fell apart. Or at least, that’s how I saw it.

But I realized that the world wasn’t the problem. It was my perception that was.

It’s easy to fall victim to all the negativity when you’re surrounded by it. When everything you watch and hear represents nothing but the worst that humanity has to offer, it’s time to shut everything out.

Why should I watch the news when there’s nothing I can do to change what’s being reported? Why listen to parlimentary debate when politicians don’t care what I have to say? Why waste my time scrolling through Twitter or TikTok when it’s full of people complaining?

I’m done.

I’m done with the world and all of its ways. I’m sick of it trying to convince me that wrong is right. I’m tired of feeling hopeless and afraid for my own future.

I’m done.

For too long I’ve allowed the world to shape me into something I never wanted to become. I’m not bitter or angry. I’m not sad or depressed. I’m not what it wants me to be. The world can’t do ANYTHING to me unless I allow it. And I simply won’t allow it.

Cancel Culture… You’ve been cancelled in my life. Woke World… I’m finally awake.

It’s over!

But the world has a tendency of taking things the wrong way. Social Media is perpetually and professionally offended. Clip it and rip it… and let the masses go wild.

So don’t misconstrue my intent, to no longer allow the world to affect and change me, and turn it into something it isn’t. Just because I’m done with the ways of the world, does not mean I’m done with it. We are far from finished, my dear!

Humans are social creatures. To be done with the world is to be alone. We’re all wired to connect with others. We value the human connection formed between people when we feel seen and valued. We love to gather in groups, whether it be in person or on social media, to discuss topics of interest. People turn to their community for information and support. Or at least that’s how it should be.

The world is operating in a deficit. It lacks community and togetherness. It lacks empathy and understanding. Most of all, it lacks love.

The world isn’t irreparably broken. It isn’t beyond hope or repair. It’s simply made up of people trying to survive, trying to make it through one more day, despite their hardships and their trauma.

So what can we do to make things better? Simple… LOVE!

“Amor vincit omnia, et nos cedamus amori”… “Love conquers all things, so we too shall yield to love.” — Virgil, Eclogues.

Yield to love. I like that!

But what exactly is love? Let’s first take a look at the definition of love to get a deeper understanding of what it means.

Love is an intense, deep affection for another person. Love also means to feel this intense affection for someone. Love can also refer to a strong like for something or to like something a lot. Love has many other senses both as a verb and a noun.

…verb and a noun. VERB and a noun. VERB.

Love isn’t just something you feel deep inside, that sends tingles up and down your spine or butterflies in your stomach. Love is greater than a feeling. Love is an action.

Love is smiling at a stranger as they walk by, regardless of their reaction.

Love is allowing another person ahead of you, even if you’re running late.

Love is holding the door for someone who has their hands full.

Love is treating someone with kindness in the midst of their disrespect.

Love is holding your tongue when you desperately want to clap back.

Love is sharing past insecurities to help others overcome theirs.

Love is a compliment or kind word meant to brighten someone’s day.

Love is helping someone when you’d rather go enjoy yourself.

Love is respect for one another.

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonour others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, and it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, and always perseveres. Love never fails.

— 1 Corinthians 13

There is no greater definition of love than God’s.

Hate is a raging inferno. You can’t fight hate with hate or fire with fire. You can only be consumed by it if you let it. The only way to drown out hate is by showering it with love.

But love isn’t easy.

It’s the little things that can often be most challenging. Like tempering your anger when someone cuts you off on the highway. While the other driver may never know just how much we were cursing and screaming, the more time we spend with these thoughts and emotions, the longer they stay with us. It’s the next person we encounter that receives the brunt of it all.

Whether it’s a co-worker as we carry our bad mood to our desk or even a family member as we often take things out on those we love most. But isn’t that counterintuitive, to dump all that hate on the people we love most?

Is the world the problem, or are we?

There will always be triggers. Trauma will always find its way to the surface. No one is perfect. If we can understand that we sometimes carry our emotions from one interaction to the next, and often make mistakes because of those emotions, causing more issues in our own lives, should we not have the same understanding of others?

If we gave others the benefit of the doubt with this understanding and showed love rather than our reactionary impulse, wouldn’t our days be better?

If we bring out the best in each other, clearly communicate how we feel and truly listen, we will grow together and we will conquer our past traumas. We are stronger together!

Photo by Anna Samoylova on Unsplash

What if we could give and experience love instead of hate, anger and blame? What if love could be experienced minute by minute? What if it was more pronounced in our history?

We would certainly not feel as broken as we do. We would not be triggered by experiences that suddenly bring past hurt to the surface. We would not be lashing out at others because of our shame and guilt. We would not be tearing each other down just to feel a semblance of control.

We would likely be more loving than we are. It would be easier to spread love because it wasn’t withheld from us. We would undoubtedly not be facing the issues that we face today if past generations showed more loving-kindness. Hurt creates hurt. Pain creates pain. Trauma creates trauma.

Hate is easy. Love is difficult. But are we strong enough to break the cycle?

What are you doing to make the world around you better?

I‘ve decided to make more of an effort to avoid becoming offended by the actions I perceive to be against me and try to reason with myself that it likely has nothing to do with me at all. I am making more of an effort to avoid anger and avoid any negative thoughts that try to creep into my mind. And those that do creep in will not be allowed to linger. And those that do linger, will absolutely not be directed at those who do not deserve it. I am putting more effort into treating people with respect and loving kindness, regardless of how I feel I am treated.

My wife’s love language is Acts of Service, so doing little things for her to save her time is one of the best ways I can love her.

The golden rule is to do unto others as you’d have them do unto you; the platinum rule is to do unto others as they’d want done unto them.

But I’d argue the platinum rule is the golden rule. What do we want others to do unto us? We want them to be loving in a way that makes us feel good and makes us happy. It’s less about the act itself and more about how they make us feel because of those actions. It stands to reason that if you really love someone, you’ll do the same unto them and love them in a way that gives them that same feeling. Those actions may be vastly different but the result will be similar.

We need to be kind to each other and bring out the best in each other. We need to express ourselves and actually take the time to truly listen.

It’s time for a change. It’s time to take action. It’s time to love.

I refuse to be a part of the circle of violence. I refuse to believe our future is irredeemable. I refuse to accept what I know in my heart is wrong. I refuse to spread more hate and bitterness into the world. I was not built for war. I am an agent of love! I WILL LOVE.

So regardless of whether I stand alone as an army of one, I will spread more love into the world. I will show more kindness, respect and understanding on a minute-by-minute basis. I will help others where and when I can without spreading myself too thin. Because if I can’t take care of myself, I cannot take care of others.

The world needs love.