Imagine looking at planet Earth from afar. It appears like a serene blue ball floating beautifully on an abyss of darkness adorn with stars. The world looks peaceful and delicate; albeit its innocence, planet Earth harbors chaos and destruction within. If you’re standing on the dusty dunes of the moon, then a sight like this would make your heart fleet with mixed human emotions.

The world has been a fleeting and changing place brought about by a cycle of peace and disarray. People have agreed to become harmonious with one another. Yet, because of human nature, they have resorted to war and conflict. It bewilders me how simple thoughts of greed can cause millions of lives, even a complete extermination of a race.

When I was a child, I thought the world was a place children could play in. I believed nothing was to worry about. Spongebob Squarepants was such a nice character, and being upset was just to be cured by a piece of candy. As I grew older, I became aware of what the news headlines meant. I learned that injustices can actually occur in our neighborhood. In my country alone, violence may not only mean physical violence but also structural ones. Exploitation manifests in different forms. From a person helplessly burnt alive by extreme radicals to policemen slaughtered head open in vain, I realized that a piece of candy can be the same size of a bullet.

What now, anyway? I live in a decent house, eat palatable food, study in a good school, and can do whatever I want. I optimally can’t stop people in the Middle East from bombing each other. However, for a second thought, I also comprise of the too many billion people running around the planet. At least a little, I can do something for change.

Comically a Miss Universe answer, change can definitely be commenced within the self. How we respond to things around us, our attitude, can affect how we act within the society and the world we live in. Positivity can be a diamond in the rough these days, but it can push us to do good things for others. It is only within one’s choices where one can determine what lies ahead.

The world may be a chaotic place, but as cliché as it may be, little steps can make a big difference. As in the words of Socrates, “I am not an Athenian or a Greek, but a citizen of the world.”