You wouldn’t think there could be a positive message out of what happened in Boston would you? No way. It all just depresses us so much, filling us with anger and anxiety. It’s all too overwhelming leaving us numb. We wonder, “What’s wrong with us that we can’t feel anything when this horrible thing has happened?” Or “What? Again? Please God, not again!”
I have written so many posts for this blog so many times after tragic events it disturbs me to remember them all. The shooting at Fort Hood, the plane crash in Clarence, New York, the horror of Newtown. I wanted this one to be different for your sake and well as mine. Which takes me back to the original question: Was there any way we could get a positive message out of this?
Thankfully I saw this on my Facebook newsfeed, a post from Patton Oswald, via Deadspin:
“…But here’s what I DO know. If it’s one person or a HUNDRED people [who are responsible for this], that number is not even a fraction of a fraction of a fraction of a percent of the population on this planet. You watch the videos of the carnage and there are people running TOWARDS the destruction to help out… This is a giant planet and we’re lucky to live on it but there are prices and penalties incurred for the daily miracle of existence. One of them is, every once in awhile, the wiring of a tiny sliver of the species gets snarled and they’re pointed towards darkness.
But the vast majority stands against that darkness and, like white blood cells attacking a virus, they dilute and weaken and eventually wash away the evil doers and, more importantly, the damage they wreak. This is beyond religion or creed or nation. We would not be here if humanity were inherently evil. We’d have eaten ourselves alive long ago.
So when you spot violence, or bigotry, or intolerance or fear or just garden-variety misogyny, hatred or ignorance, just look it in the eye and think, “The good outnumber you, and we always will.”
When tragedy strikes it is human to ask, “What can I do? I’m just one human being and the evil out there is so huge and powerful.” Patton Oswald reminds us that alone, yes, we are small but together we human beings make a whole lot of Powerful Good. There is a lot of suffering in the world but we put a big dent in it whenever we do a kindness, give generously and accept graciously.
It’s so true. There are so many of us opposed to the darkness. As discouraging as darkness can be, it never overcomes light.
Thank you, Sheryl. I loved your post, “Dear Boston” (at sherylobryan.com) so much. Grieving bonds us as human beings, within a family and as a nation, as you point out. Grief is an expression of love and in grieving we invite the Divine in to support and maintain us. Bless you and keep writing!
Ah, I do love me some Patton Oswald. Thanks for posting those words. I actually had a google hangout after reading your post where Oswald’s comments were a centerpiece. You are a giver!
I love thinking of kindness, generosity and acceptance as putting a dent in suffering. Great visual! I appreciate your writing. I’ll comment more…my bad!
Dear Chris, We are ALL bad but forgiving too, I hope. 🙂
Thanks so much for the connection and yes, I borrowed heavily from Oswald because he said what I was trying to say so what the heck? You also gave many of my thoughts expression in your post on prophetsandpopstars.com (A Brief Response to the Boston Bombing). It was soothing and realistic at the same time. Not at all easy in these circumstances.