Our world seems to be infiltrated by an abundance of darkness. The news is flooded with stories of death, hopelessness, poverty, and oppression. However, in a world full of darkness, there is a force constantly working against it – a force that travels over 186,000 miles per second. That force is light.
Today, I want to shine that light for you. Many of us are feeling overwhelmed by the multitude of work, the never ending quarantines,
and the longevity of this virus. Even so, there is still hope, there is still light. I know how you feel and I know we all want this to end, but today I want you to see a glimmer of hope in our world of chaos.
The first glimmer of hope I want to share comes from Jonathan Jones, a self-taught barbecuer from Arizona. According to Today, Jones is “[fighting] against food insecurity” through his nonprofit business, Smokin’ Hope. Jones uses a GoFundMe page to raise money and, through doing so, has “been able to feed over 1,000 people.” In our world of perpetual poverty and food insecurity, Jones is providing hope and inspiration, and most of all, is shining a much-needed light in our world.
Another spark of hope comes from a stock market scandal. According to CNN, “by January 15, Game-Stop’s stock was up 1,587% since the beginning of January.” This led Hunter Kahn, a college student at Cornell University, to get about $30,000 in Game-Stop stock. But instead of keeping his profit to himself, he donated about $2,000 worth of Nintendo Switch products to a children’s hospital. According to the Good News Network, the generosity of the beneficiaries did not stop there. Chamath Palihapitiya, an early Facebook executive, donated his entire GameStop shares payout of $500,000 “to the Barstool Fund, a new COVID-19 charity that gives cash payments to small businesses who are about to go out of business.”
The next bright light comes from a life-saving German Shepard. According to Today, “Brian Myers adopted Sadie, a 6-year-old German shepherd” who saved his life after he had a stroke due to blood clots that formed in his body (post recovering from COVID-19). When he
fell to the floor, Sadie came by his side and “when [he] grabbed her collar… [she started] walking backward and pulling [him].” Brian was able to get help and attend rehab, all due to the lifesaving German Shepard.
The last glimmer of light I have for you today is inspired by a woman from the Civil Rights Movement. According to Today, Nadine Nelson, a chef, activist, and educator, was inspired by Georgia Gilmore, the woman “who founded the ‘Club to Nowhere,’ an underground resistance group that cooked and sold savory meals [and] baked goods to raise money for transportation during the Montgomery bus boycott.” Nelson felt inspired by this and started an organization, “Stir the Pot,” in fostering an atmosphere where people can learn about different cultures and listen to various stories and backgrounds.
It is my hope that the actions of a self-taught barbecuer, two charitable donors, a life-saving German Shepard, and a pie-making activist, help shine some light into the darkness you are experiencing. Our world can seem overwhelming, but there is so much good still to be found. Do not lose sight of the light that this world has to offer. There is always a glimmer of hope, even in the darkest of moments.
Sources: Today, CNN
Adaelle Stobie 
Christian Lengkeek 
Ella Curcuruto