9/11/13 - 9/10/13

Yes, that's right. Today's superfluous title is yesterday's date.
I missed yesterday for good reasons. I think so at least. I was studying for quizzes until about 12:30 last night and at that point, I figured it wouldn't be smart to stay up much later. Needless to say, I was asleep within minutes. In addition to that I'm treating this blog as more of a privilege than an obligation, simply because I enjoy writing, even if it's senseless nothingness that probably won't be read by anyone anyways (how many times have I said something similar? A free smile and internet hug to anyone who tells me this).

So today is 9/11. It's important to remember dates like this, the kinds of days where we see what humanity is truly like. I don't mean to be pessimistic, but I think it's true. Humans are, by nature, brutal creatures. We kill, destroy, lie, cheat, steal, and sin in all other manner of ways. Of course, there is goodness in humanity too. We have made great strides in saving the world rather than destroying it, and there are many wonderful people in the world among all the awful ones. I think it's necessary to look closer at the good than the bad so that we don't fall into a state of depression because of the world. If we are depressed because of how terrible some parts of the world are, then how can we work to improve it? Rather, we should applaud the good in the world rather than cursing the bad.

Now, I'm not trying to understate the impact of such an event as the terrorist attack 12 years ago. It was tragic, and while I was too young to really remember it, the attacks were devastating, and many innocent people were killed. While we shouldn't go around cursing the badness in the world, I do understand mourning on a day like today, and I think that mourning in this case is an important part of it. We can mourn for the losses, but not fall into anger or depression, regardless of how the attack impacted us personally.

And of course, there are always the people who ignore these sorts of things. That may help the individual, but if they go on as if nothing happened, there is a loss for all humanity, in a way. At least a loss for the society in which that person lives. There certainly isn't a gain in that, in any case.

The other possibility is that we can choose to be affected too greatly by any action, be it good or bad. Being affected too much by the bad will undoubtedly force us into depression or rage at the cruelties of the world or some other form of negative emotion. Conversely, being affected too greatly by a positive influence on the world may end up being a negative for us. It can lead to a false perception of the world and cause us to believe that the world is better than it is in actuality.

Look for the good, don't fall into the bad, acknowledge the suffering of the world, and don't be affected too much.