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This morning, buildings are burning, racism is rampant, a virus is killing, people are hurting. To read a paper or watch the news on television resembles falling into a black hole of despair with no hope of surviving.

Some say it looks as if God has given up, and soon the future will end. Many believe we need to go back in time, return to the good ole’ days, but that’s isn’t a reality. Even if we could turn back time, we would notice that buildings burned, racism was rampant, a virus killed, and people suffered. 

Life is full of black holes. Sometimes it takes more than courage to find the light, but we should never give up hope that a bright day will warm our souls. Perhaps we should ask ourselves, “ Are there steps we can take to avoid the darkness?”

Dodging the blame game is undoubtedly one productive step. We are collectively the best of blamers. Our President waves blame like a red flag, and we, in turn, blame him for most everything.  Senators blame each other’s political party for massive collective Congressional failures. Races often blame one another for their difficulties; husbands blame wives and visa versa. Guilty children point a finger and yell, “Johnny did it!” We learn early to pass the buck and take no responsibility.

The other day, I heard a Governor say to the press, “I was wrong. I didn’t know what I should have known!” It was so refreshing, I jumped up and down and didn’t pay attention to what he did to necessitate his taking all the blame. If we earnestly try not to pass our guilt to others, we might see the light in the darkness. Own up, confess, and be truthful. 

Pointing fingers is not a solution to a problem. Passing the buck is our way of proclaiming our pure innocence when it is simply not true. Playing the blame game never improves anything and typically leads us into the dark hole of no solutions, no hope, no growth, and a false sense of righteousness. And, guess what, we are ALL to blame for the blaming.

I am horrible about accusing a lousy golf shot on a bad lie, my club, the golf ball, even the tee, but guess what, I promise you it is because I hit a bad shot. Isn’t it funny how we are only perfect in our own minds?

Another step to climbing out of the darkness is to listen, watch, and bypass evil. Evil is like a mist that appears harmless but causes us to not notice the black hole awaiting our fall. Evil exists and works very well to create contempt, envy, bigotry, and selfishness.

It applauds fires, murders, lies, and hate. Evil resides in every corner, and it is only tempered by faith that God will help us be triumphant in the battle. But to say we have faith and not use it, is evil’s victory.

I recall as a young teen visiting a friend’s church. The large church was a pillar of the community, and I loved the congregation, which included many of the town’s citizens. John F. Kennedy was running for President at the time. During the sermon, the minister declared in a soft, appealing voice, “We should not vote for this Kennedy man because he is Catholic.”

Discriminating evil spewing in the halls of God’s home. How does evil work? Just like that.

Hope and healing reside in each of us. Let’s own up to our responsibility to create it. We should never ignore our own wrongdoing, our own self- righteous behavior, and our lack of implementing our faith. To change requires a transformation within each of us.

Compassion, acceptance, kindness, openness, conversations, and love is the only way we calm our land and put out the fires of hatred. The only way and it all will begin at our front doors where the buck stops and where light can shine in.

We should all reach deep and climb up out of the black abyss of despair. Let us all join to erase racism, eradicate a virus, and the venom that causes people such suffering.  Please.

“Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.” Martin Luther King, Jr.