the light and dark within us all is reason for humanity.

i don't think any other news story in my life has pulled at my heart the way this one has.

i believe in the immense good that permeates the communities in which we live.

i also believe in the capacity for bad. i don't for a second doubt evil, it is real, and it pulsates in and out of the hearts of every one of us.

we are all capable of greatness.

we are all capable of mistakes. big ones. whether it's jihadists, two young boys accidentally involved or not, innocent marathon runners, terrorists, corporate leaders, or the FBI.

and all i'm saying is that i get it. i know what it's like to be human. whether you are malala yousafzai, miley cyrus, or malia obama, you are human. you have experienced hunger, laughter, sadness, boredom, pain, abundant joy, disappointment, fear to complete terror, heart-swelling love, and everything in between.

if you are reading this, you are human. you have experienced being human. you understand.

where is your humanity, i plead?

i shed tears for our humanity. i long for our humanity. whether you're american, indian, russian, or african, i love you. whether you are a police officer who shot down my framed husband or a terrorist who murdered my innocent loved one while policing a 7/11, i love you.

i am not in the heat of it now, but i'm sharing this because i need to remember that i love you. i need to remember the humanity within me, and to not let the evil and the hate take over. hate is hate. closed-mindedness creates hate. understanding and empathy create love. love is love.

let humanity reign. let love reign.