I feel sad that tomorrow’s history books will headline the many men who have shot guns so recklessly.

They’ll highlight each decade the world slowly decayed—the image of violence will color each page.

The plague that took our population won’t need an explanation.

The evidence is in the chapter titled: “Neo-Nazi America.”

We’ll see the hate behind each eye and understand what turned our nation to dust.

We are a sick collaboration of the Dark Ages and the Great Depression, where suicide is the new normal.

I hope they leave a chapter for all the good in the world and call it: “Unbearable Compassion.”

The bravery of a thousand would be etched in the story of the fight against Dakota Access Pipeline.

A resilient face would coat a full page.

The next pages would be covered in candlelight for every vigil held across the country.

We could read a story about the peaceful stand for public land—and how the beauty of wilderness has saved many a heart.

There would be a page dedicated to those who fought wildfires every waking hour.

We could understand the healing found in every rape crisis center across America in the collage found on the next page, in which every victim of sexual assault would be smiling hopefully.

There would be an image of those who paddled through the flood of Hurricane Harvey to save a pet pig.

We’d find a story about all the rainbow flags hanging proudly from porches after the shooting in Orlando.

And, the last page would say that the real tragedy in this day and age is losing hope.

~

Relephant:

How we can Love Each Other, despite the Horrors Happening around Us.

13 Quotes for Light & Hope in Dark Times.

~

Author: Erika Wynn
Image: Flickr/Rick&Brenda Beerhorst; Flickr/Andrew Pilling
Editor: Yoli Ramazzina
Copy Editor: Catherine Monkman
Social Editor: Travis May