surry

I recently took my seven-year-old baby brother to watch The Dark Knight Rises at its midnight premiere, unaware that somewhere else in the world, people were being massacred while trying to do the same. When I heard the news of the shooting, it made me realize that although we can't always prevent evil from taking place, we certainly can be the change that we wish to see in the world.

At 24 years of age, I've found that I've always sort of felt out of place in this world. Money is what keeps it turning, and what allows each of us to survive. The world really does "turn on a dime". We watch movies and read books of never-ending love stories and of heroes, often forgetting that those experiences don't have to be confined to film and paper. We don't have to be cut out of the same mold that society pushes over on us as acceptable. Sometimes being a hero is as simple as setting an example, or listening for the voices of the helpless and innocent, who may only be heard because someone was selfless enough to amplify their cries.

As long as people walk the face of this Earth, there will be both good and evil. Which side are you on? Remaining silent can at times mean being on the side of evil, simply by not raising awareness. The balance will always be there, but I can guarantee that I'll always be a force for good. I encourage everyone around me to do the same. The Dark Knight Rises was an excellent film, in my opinion, but the horror that took place should be a reminder to us all that evil always rises; it's time WE rise.