Spread Love Not Hate

There is less of a chance that I'll be bullied, and there is less of a chance that I'll be shot by a crazy person at school.

Is this what our nation, the land of the free, has come to?

The other night I was caring for a pediatric patient in the emergency room. For confidential reasons we'll call him Todd. Todd was a larger child (slightly overweight), but he was a very nice child. He seem to be a smart guy and understood the plan of care as I explained it to him. However, Todd wasn't like most children; he was being home schooled. Most kids would enjoy staying home for school, but Todd didn't particular choose home education.

He feared being bullied, and he was afraid of being murdered at school.

When I heard the words fall from his mouth, chills ran down my spine. Close to tearing up, I was stunned and didn't know how to reply. I think the emotions took over because of the sad truth revealed from his words.

Is this what our nation, the home of the brave, fears?

What happened to the days when children worried about what's for lunch and how long until recess? The world has become so black, so cold that kids are growing up in fear--it's heart wrenching.

So much hate in the world... NO, there is so much hate just in our nation alone.

Family movie night being turned into family death beds. Marathoner's limbs being launched across finish lines. Policeman's brains smeared across pavements. Seven year old student's guts splattered on whiteboards. 

Too real?

Life... It's real, and that's what life has come to. Our children's lives do involve bullies and school shooting.

Somethings needs change in order to transform the future. I don't have the answers, but Todd is a good start. I wish I would have gathered my thoughts that day and replied with the following:

Those are very real occurrences in the world that we live in today. It's saddening, but all you can do is be nice to others. A bully is a Big Ugly Loner Loser only Yearning attention. No matter how mean someone is, your kindness will always trump and your smile will always be more beautiful. So, spread love and not hate.

The change begins with our children because they are the future of our nation, the land of the free and home of the brave.