Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

I have a vision, a vision that could change the world. I have a vision that would certainly transform the very fabric of Washington, this river town we all cherish so deeply. I saw us all coming together behind one common cause, a cause that would cost each of us absolutely nothing. That cause is simple: to ensure that everybody in Beaufort County knows they are a valuable human being, full of beauty and dignity.

That’s it. That’s the vision. It’s just each of us making the resolute decision to ensure that our neighbors and strangers alike know they aren’t garbage floating on the current of the universe, moving toward a meaningless death. My job takes me to places I often don’t want to go, like hospital rooms where people have died by suicide. Like many others, I’m moving away from ‘committing suicide’ because nobody kills themselves. They are victims of something that resulted in a death that should not be.

It breaks my heart that people feel so unloved they ultimately die from that pain. It breaks my heart that people slip further into addiction because their emotional pain has taken hold of them and won’t let them experience the sunshine of the spirit, the elevation, the true high that comes from knowing you are loved and valued. That’s a high worth chasing, and a fix worth giving to somebody: a shot of pure, uncut love.

I fear we have lost the ability to believe in the best things about humanity. And during some of the darkest moments in human history, we united to fight against injustice and evil. Yes, that evil is committed by other human beings. But the goodness that restores us is demonstrated by those who believe our best days are still ahead and that we can overcome any and all evil that divides us.

Overcoming evil, being the best version of ourselves, and loving our neighbors are all actions that cost us a single penny. It costs nothing to be kind to everyone you meet. It costs us nothing to decide to give our best to everyone we encounter. Why don’t we choose this kind of goodness? Why do we think this kind of goodness is a weakness?

When was the last time you saw a movie win an Oscar for focusing on and celebrating someone’s power and evil? These aren’t the stories that we celebrate and elevate. We celebrate the stories of those who overcome evil with goodness. We highlight tales that remind us all that human dignity is something worth fighting for.

These kinds of stories don’t have to be found only in movies. They can be found right here in Beaufort County. Are you one of those heroes who will stand up for your neighbor’s dignity? You don’t need a red cape or Kryptonian DNA to be a hero. You don’t need a gun to be a powerful savior, paradoxically killing for peace. What is needed, and indeed demanded, of all of us is the ability to see the best in our neighbor, even if they don’t return the favor. There is no longer an eye for an eye. That’s what my boss once said. But we still want to live as if vengeance and justice must come from conquering violence.

The world is undeniably in pain. People are being stretched and tested in ways we thought belonged to the past. The world’s future is unstable and uncertain. But what doesn’t have to be in question is our commitment to ensure that we are all walking into the future, arm in arm, with a dedication to our mutual flourishing. That can be a certainty. But only if we make the resolute choice to fight for the dignity of our neighbor before fighting for ourselves. That’s the kind of hero the world needs right now. Why can’t that be you?

Chris Adams is the Rector at St. Peter’s Episcopal Church in Washington.