The shades of orange, yellow and purple when the sun sets; the smell of rain hitting dry earth for the first time after a long while; the rumble of thunder; the unique scent of a cycad tree or jasmine; a little girl’s joyful laughter just before bedtime; the sound of the ocean waves and the feeling of a fresh sea breeze on your face; the togetherness and chaos when families gather – these are some of my favourite things.

 

There are many beautiful things in this world of ours. Often, they are simple things and fleeting moments – the kind of moments that life is made of.

 

But yes, life, unfortunately, also consists of chaos, heartache, frustration and pain. Life is not one-dimensional and we live in a broken world. It is easy to get stuck focusing on the hurt and the problems of a fractured society.

 

However, every day, we can choose what we want to focus on. And something I was recently reminded of is that our choices also impact the people around us.

 

When I hold on to negative emotions, it steals my joy. I become so caught up that I stop laughing at others’ silly jokes. Everything bothers me; everything feels like a problem or a crisis. I carry a heaviness and the world becomes a gloomy place for me. And, I must admit, I am not exactly a ray of sunshine when I feel that way.

 

I believe we need to try, every day, to hold on to the beauty that exists in our world. We should share positive, uplifting stories with each other and continue to encourage one another. We must treasure the special moments with loved ones and admire nature, even if it is just a single beautiful flower or tree in your garden.

 

When I hold on to the beautiful things, I feel lighter and happier. And then the world – my world – feels like a better place. This gives me the courage to keep trying to make the world a better place for those around me.

 

Prayer: Father, we live in such a broken world full of pain. Thank you that, despite the difficult and bad things, there is also beauty and positivity. Help me hold on to the things that are good, that go right and that are beautiful, so that I may have the courage to keep trying to make the world a better place. Amen.