Where is the love?

What is this world coming to? Where are we guiding our children, our hope? Where? Whatever happened to our values, our priorities? Whatever happened to us? The world is screaming for help. Will you help rescue it?

We are living in a war-torn world. A world where the incidence of violence and bloodshed is prevailing. "And in today's bulletin, 20 children were killed in a bomb blast...", "An attack today claimed 14 lives, 10 of whilch were women...", "22 civilians were killed today when war broke out...", headline after headline after headline. I cannot recall ever watching the news or reading the newspaper without coming across such chilling chilling stories and horrifying headlines. Poverty is growing, hunger is spreading, more and more people are becoming homeless. All in the name of war. Hatred is spreading, violence is growing. We - humans - are becoming inhumane. Yes, inhumane humans. We hear the words of leaders, politicians and even citizens defending their actions in honour of their country, like war is a way of showing one's patriotism. How many times have you heard "We must fight against this terrorism"? Yeah, fight against terrorism using terrorism. Good one. So totally justified! It's a vicious cycle. Surely, before the love of one's country comes the love felt for one's brother. When will we understand? Violence will not cure violence. Has abhorrence ever eliminated hatred? Let's stop kidding ourselves!

Not only is the world a war-torn place - families are themselves 'war-torn'. Conflicts are bound to arise in families - they always have and always will. Conflicts, arguments, misunderstandings... they are a part of life. But one must learn from these events. One must learn to handle them, learn the right way, learn to forgive and learn to move on. We must learn to love. Stubborn. Selfish. Cold-hearted. That's what kind of individuals we have become. A brother cannot forgive a brother. A sister cannot forgive a sister. Why? Where is the love? Recently I was watching a television program, "Open Your Heart". A brother had fallen out with his brother. They had not spoken for years. The brother wanted to reconcile. He had admitted that he was in the wrong and was asking him for his forgiveness. The brother did not even agree to listen! What kind of people have we become? Our father DIED for us, for the forgiveness of our sins... and a brother cannot even listen to his brother's pledge for forgiveness, let alone forgive him?! Sad. It really is. Why must I look at television to find an example? I just have to look at my family itself and those of my friends. What are we teaching our children? We have to forgive. We have to love.

The world and it's future is in our hands... under His supervision. Right now it looks so bleak. Let's work together on making it bright. Every action, every gesture counts.