It’s easy to become discouraged when we take an honest look at the moral decay, corruption, and abuse of power swirling around us. 

But a willingness to face unpleasant truths does not mean that all is lost. 

Succumbing to the counsels of despair robs us of hope, limits our vision, and prevents us from recognizing that we always have options.

But the truth is that our problems are not so different from those faced by others throughout human history. Human nature has not changed in many thousands of years.

Throughout that time span, decent people have always worked to improve the world. Most have done so without recognition.

Even in humanity’s blackest hours, there have always been great souls and great ideas that have led the way out of the darkness. Not only do such people still exist, but also each of us has the capacity to be such an individual.

Charley Reese explains, “Human beings have free will. Within the parameters of our present circumstances, we can choose to make our own lives and our own community better or worse. Nobody and no thing can force us to be either good or bad. The choice is ours alone. That’s why hope never dies.”

When enough of us recognize that most solutions to life’s challenges start with us rather than someone in authority, we’ll see that things are far from hopeless.