Sometimes we log onto Facebook to “Check on our friends and family” and see how much their babies have grown, if the cancer treatments are working, if they got the home they have been dreaming of, if there are new photos of their crazy dog destroying yet another couch, how much their gardens are flourishing or where their reunited band will be playing so you can finally get out and catch a show…and instead, you are staring at photos of things you can’t wrap your head around…video clips of devastating horror…something evil.

You suck in your breath (and you try to look away but you “Have to know…”) and you try not to cry and think about “What if that was someone I loved?” or “Oh no…do I know anyone that might have been there?” and your brain starts going a mile a minute thinking about all of the places you will never take your children again (Movie theater? Public School? Post office? Convenience store? Bank? Marathon? Parade?) because you are afraid that this could happen to you…to the ones you love the most in the World.

We can not allow ourselves to live in fear of these things. We can not deny ourselves the joy of doing things and going places we love – because of the “What ifs.”

There are ugly people in this World that for whatever reason – feel the need to destroy other human beings. Innocent human beings. Children. Families. Entire villages. Entire races and religions…

But today – when you look at those images flooding your newsfeed – look not at the blood stained sidewalks or the fear and tears on the faces of those who were in the midst of the chaos…look for the “Helpers” who heard a bomb go off,  had their ears filled with the cries of injured and terrified people, saw things they will never be able to erase from their minds – and instead of running away…they ran toward the destruction, putting their own lives at risk to do what many would not..HELP.

Look for them in the photos. Look at their faces. Remind yourselves that for every one evil human being who is determined to destroy a life – there are hundreds who would give their lives to save one.

Today – Instead of clicking on that link of yet another video clip of footage of something destroying peoples lives…maybe spend 1 minute writing a thank you to someone that has devoted their lives to saving yours.

You might be surprised at how much a simple thank you can mean to someone that probably doesn’t hear it enough.

“When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, “Look for the Helpers. You will always find people who are helping.” – Fred Rogers