Have you ever wondered why our world and its civilizations still exist? How many times have you heard the phrase “our world is going to hell in a handbasket” or another similar expression? Going to hell in a handbasket means deteriorating rapidly, a situation where a complete ruin or failure is inevitable. If someone uses this phrase, they want to say the situation is quickly getting out of hand and heading swiftly downhill.

I’ve thought a lot about this expression recently and what it would mean if it were true. Is everything in our world deteriorating so rapidly that its doom is inevitable? Is that true? I believe it feels like it’s true when we are the ones directly affected by a senseless shooting, a violation of our property or privacy, children being disrespectful, education becoming more difficult to manage, or morals appearing shaky or nonexistent.

These extreme behaviors don’t seem to make sense when we are having to deal with such issues firsthand. However, I also believe the reason our world continues to exist and hasn’t completely fallen apart is because good is alive and real. It’s the yin and the yang, or the balance of being.

“It is during our darkest moments that we must focus to see the light.” — Aristotle

I have discovered more recently that what keeps this balance in the universe is experience. Once we have taken an active part in an event, occurrence or situation, we are changed. Typically we can more easily relate to others who have been through something similar. These are the moments when the seeds of good are rooted within us and others. We become more kind, considerate and patient toward others, which in turn generates more appreciation, gratitude and humility.

“The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched—they must be felt with the heart.” — Helen Keller

I’ve always thought of myself as kind and considerate of others. However, I also always wonder if I could be even more so in certain moments or situations. Where do I draw the line of kindness? Do I draw a line at all? In recent months a family member has had incredible health challenges. This has resulted in a need for considerable medical care, a walker (rollator), nursing care, physical therapy, change of lifestyle and so on.

All of a sudden days are filled with a different set of demands that had never existed before. You are surrounded by people who use wheelchairs, canes, walkers, oxygen tanks and other devices that enable them to function as normally as possible. You are exposed to the people who care for these people in need and observe the demands placed on them to bring comfort to those who are suffering, all while making it seem like no trouble at all.

“No one is useless in this world who lightens the burdens of another.” — Charles Dickens

I say a quiet prayer for each person I pass who isn’t smiling, who walks slower, or doesn’t walk at all. I say a prayer of thanks for caregivers who show up to make sure those in need have someone to look after them. The prayer is that they feel the presence of Divine Love surrounding them, comforting them, elevating their consciousness to a higher level rather than a lower one. To see and feel the good filling them up full so there is no room for doubt of its existence. To have a pure calm sense of trust and peace wash over them, to keep them steady and help them feel grounded.

With these recent experiences I have noticed a deeper well of patience for others, less judgment and self-righteousness. My depth of gratitude and humility for the compassion and understanding from others has increased.

These were some of my experiences of noticing why the world is, in fact, not going to hell in a handbasket. People are good, kind, encouraging, helpful and patient. Life experiences will continue to happen, and will continue to shape us into having greater awareness of the needs of others and the abilities of ourselves. This will in turn enlarge our capacity to handle more with greater ease and keep good growing.

“It would be nice to feel that we are a better world, a world of more compassion and a world of more humanity, and to believe in the basic goodness of man.” — Barbara Walters

[Photo courtesy of Brett Jordan / Pexels]