I have a hard time talking about current events on the internet. Recently, I said to some people that the certain things in the world are a dumpster fire right now. I don’t know exactly how to think about it, how to say something that’s not already been said. I believe in caring for people and in protecting rights and freedoms and life. I believe in improving equality and equity, and that we should work to make the world a better place instead of pursuing our own self-interest. I believe in democratic values and honesty and transparency. But sometimes, I mostly just feel powerless, a spectator, and I’m unsure of what I can do that would actually make a difference.

I don’t think we should engage in contention to fight contention, or that we should hate those who are hateful. Sometimes the best way to get rid of the fighting is not by fighting back, but by refusing to engage. Refusing to stoop down to hatred. But it’s so hard, because we can get so angry–and anger can be motivating and useful. But if anger drowns out love, if we can’t see hope anymore, then maybe we’ve gone too far.

I do have hope in a better world. I’ve seen a lot of things get worse in my lifetime, but I know that there are good people working toward good things, and good changes have happened too.

My son was once frustrated with all the ideas that he had. He knew they wouldn’t all happen, that they couldn’t happen. And he was sort of mad that he had all these ideas that would always just be ideas.

But we don’t want to get rid of all the hopes and dreams of what we wish the world could be. The world is better with our ideas and our hope, even if things are still hard, and those ideas and those hopes aren’t realized.

I used to make goals and to-do lists and scribble things out, always feeling like I never got things done–never on top of things, never the better version of myself that I want to be. But I’ve tried to remember the good things that happen in life and the good things that I have done. I write down the accomplishments.

We hope for a better world, and we work towards it the best that we can. We recognize progress we make, even if it’s slow and halting. We keep approaching life with kindness, towards ourselves and others.