Do you ever feel discouraged by what you see around you?

 

Do you sometimes lose hope… wondering if people have lost their way, and not knowing what to do about it?

 

I want to share something with you that really stayed with me.

 

And I’m not going to pretend everything is perfect or tell you to just “stay positive.”

 

That wouldn’t be honest.

 

I see what’s happening in the world.

 

I’ve lived it, in my own family.

 

I’ve had siblings struggle with addiction, incarceration, and deep wounds from hard beginnings.

 

And then there are others—people who didn’t go through those extremes—yet are quietly struggling in different ways… subtly addicted, disconnected, lost.

 

So, what’s the answer?

 

It’s love.

 

But not the overused, surface-level version of love.

 

I mean real love—and the best way to understand it is through what it looks like in action.

 

I was speaking with a therapist this week who said something powerful: “If a person has just one person who truly loves them, they can be okay.”

 

She told me about a woman who went through a past far worse than most could imagine… and still became a deeply loving person.

 

Her grandmother was there for her and that’s what saved her.

 

I’ve seen this too—again and again.

 

When Maya Angelou was assaulted as a child and stopped speaking, her grandmother didn’t give up on her.

 

She kept telling her she was smart, courageous, and a leader.

 

Maya didn’t believe it at the time.

 

But her grandmother kept loving her that way anyway.

 

And she became exactly that.

 

When Frederick Douglass was a child, his mother would walk miles just to lay with him at night.

 

That’s love.

 

He went on to become one of the most powerful voices in ending slavery.

 

These are big examples—but I see this same truth in everyday life.

 

A grandfather I heard about won’t let his grandson go to sports on Sunday mornings—because that’s church time.

 

His parents struggled with addiction, and the grandfather is doing everything he can to guide him.

 

Does it have to be church?

 

It's a wonderful step, but not necessarily.

 

What really matters is the love and intention behind it.

 

For me, it was when my stepdad took on raising 4 children, that weren't his own, after he raised his own child and retired.

 

He didn't say a lot but his actions spoke volumes.

 

They showed commitment and love.

 

One person… choosing to show up.

 

One person taking a stand.

 

One person pouring into another.

 

That can change everything.

 

No matter what someone has been through—if they’ve had even one person truly love them—there’s a chance.

 

And when we experience that kind of love, we don’t forget it.

 

We become it.

We give it.

 

Maybe that’s why love is so powerful—because it spreads.

 

Because deep down, I believe it’s who we really are.

 

And when someone loves us, it helps us remember.

 

So why am I sharing this?

 

Because someone out there needs you.

 

Someone needs your patience.

 

Your belief.

Your presence.

 

Don’t lose hope.

 

We don’t always get to see the impact of our actions…

 

But if your heart is in the right place, it matters more than you think.

 

And if no one has stood for you…

 

If you haven’t felt loved in that way…

 

I’m sorry.

 

But that doesn’t mean you’re not loved.

 

Or not lovable.

 

There are people who care—probably more than you realize.

 

Please reach out if you need someone.

 

And don’t give up.

 

Because love always wins.

 

Not always quickly.

 

Not always in obvious ways.

 

But in the end—it wins.

 

Because it’s what we’re made of.

 

Much love,

 

Bert