Vigils for all the killing and pain

There has been senseless violence and killing that has been all over the news in the past week.

Beirut, Kenya, Paris. Also, war still goes on constantly. Many kinds of wars insist on being around.

The way I see it, you have a sphere of influence. Once that sphere has completed itself, you need to let go the pain, let go the fear, let go the addiction to paying attention to that which cannot be changed.

If you are close enough to these situations, tend to the living, that they may be comforted in their hours of need. If you are near by these places, bury the bodies and say your respects. Then, do everything in your power to make this world better, to know what you can heal and what you cannot and do all you can, accepting what you cannot do.

Then, when all is said and done, we move on. We do not sink into despair, we do not lose hope. Our species has always dealt with our ugly, aching shadow. We have always had violent ones among the more consistently peaceful. It is time to stand with the peaceful, act with justice, demand justice everywhere from everyone.

And it is not time to give up, to write off humanity. There is still a great amount of good shown from and shining in many, many, many folks young and old.