I Dare Not Forget, but….

I see their faces.
The empty eyes of the children in Aleppo.
The tear stained faces of those who have lost what little they had to wind and rain.
As much as I might like to I dare not turn away.
Or, forget.

I dare not forget the hate which turns humans into demons or the heart-breaking hurt which siphons life away. I dare not forget those flee for their lives or who struggle to feed their children. I dare not forget the anger which shouts down those with whom they disagree or the arrogance which eggs it on.

I dare not forget.

But, also, I dare not forget the gift of today.
The beauty of the fall leaves.
The warmth of the sun and the coolness of the breeze.
I dare not forget all those who extend their hand to help another.
And, those who stand hard for justice.
And, those who, in their own small every day way, add their goodness and kindness to this crazy, complex, beautiful world.

I don’t know if there is some grand cosmic scale in which hate and hurt hang in the balance with goodness and kindness. Only that today I chose not to forget their eyes and to add what I can to the side of goodness.