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There is still good in the world

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Inspiration

By Don Lindsey

Like so many others, I have been polarized, disgusted and angry over the events that happened in Charlottesville, Virginia last weekend. As a matter of fact, I have had a terrible time writing this column because of my amped-up emotions. I have lost count of how many times I’ve attempted to get an article done for my normal Sunday spot. I was so mentally stuck on the images I saw on the news of people carrying Nazi flags and of the scenes of violence that I could not find an intelligent way to express my outrage. As the week went on, I was deeply saddened by the fact that we are regressing so much as a nation concerning how we get along with one another. On Friday, I was picking up my youngest from school, and as I sat in line, a thought crossed my mind. “There has to still be good in this world.”

After that initial thought, I started to look for positive things that we as human beings do. I thought about two of my neighbors, Rick and Darlyne. These are very sweet and wonderful people who never miss an opportunity to help those around them, and this thought took me into stories I have heard about the acts of kindness we see in our community. We have churches in our area that rally-around a cause to help the homeless, bring food to those without, and constantly look for ways to bring love into situations that desperately need it. Another example is how our community showed great resolve in the midst of the Pulse Nightclub shooting last year. Droves of people turned out to help anytime a situation was available and rallied around the victims and their families. The more I thought about that incident, the more I began to see the biggest weapons against ignorance such as racism and discrimination.

Apopka comes together during Pulse tragedy.

Love and compassion.

Sounds corny I know but when I think back on the times I’ve seen this country overcome adversity it’s been when we’ve stood together as a nation. September 11, the bombing in Boston, and so many other events when we had to heal as a country are examples of what we’re capable of overcoming when we are united. In my opinion, we face adversity again. Between the violence in our streets, and the threats we are receiving from other countries, the time to show the resolve that we’re known for is now. Taking care of each other and teaching our children to do the same will help. Remembering that we are all God’s children and deserve the same compassion that Jesus showed never hurts either. At the end of the day we all have unique gifts to offer that will help someone in some way, and when we do that, we make our corner of the world a little bit better.

Yes, racism and suffering on many different levels and all forms of hate exist on this planet. However, there is still good in the world. Look for it, be a part of it and we will get past this dark period as we have done so many times before.


 

 

Don Lindsey is a follower of Christ, son, husband, father, and a survivor. Originally from Dayton Ohio, and resident of Apopka for six years, Don sees his life as a dedication to his wife, parents, children, community and most importantly to God.

Don Lindsey, Inspiration

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