A recent hash tag is #blacklivesmatter. I just saw one that said #copslivesmatter. In this world of instant availability to news and awareness of what is happening throughout the world, we are able to see many hateful acts. What the news does not show is the many loving acts that happen much more often. Good news apparently is not newsworthy. I have also become aware that if there is not a video feed, then it is not considered newsworthy.

So, let’s look at what we seem to experience every day: there is awful, overwhelming violence and spiteful acts happening all day, every day. Let me challenge you: on your way to work this morning, how many beatings, rapes and robberies did you see? On the other hand, how many people smiled, opened a door for you, perhaps even said good morning? Most of us are fortunate to not live in a war zone. Our reality is that there are many more kind acts than mean ones. But then we turn on the news and find that we are, obviously, not in touch with the real reality. The world is filled with people harming each other.

I am not saying that bad things don’t happen. Obviously they do. But so do good things! We need to become equally aware of them. We need to be aware of what we actually experience more of every day! We need to look around and appreciate all that we have every single day.

We need to appreciate the people in our world. The black youth. The police officers. The Jews, the Christians, the Muslims, the Buddhists, the Atheists! The people of all colors, sexual orientations, size and age. No matter where we live. All lives matter!

Go out into your world. Look around. Notice all the good. Notice all the people. Appreciate what you actually experience every day. Let’s start a new hashtag. #alllivesmatter.