Acceptance is the first step to change.
An esteemed Professor at my College once asked me to write an essay on a Question he had, the task baffled me to the core. Not because writing the task was difficult, but because I couldn’t come up with a reasonable answer to the question:
“What is the single best thing to come out of World War II?”, He’d asked.
My answer, without even thinking — I murmured, “I don’t think anything good ever came of World War II, Sir”.
The Professor smiled and said when I have the answer I should write him back.
And since following the tragedy that took place at Parkland, I believe I finally do have the answer.
The single best thing to come out of World War II was the realisation of just how rotten humanity could become. And that acceptance of a mistake is a step towards positive change.
It made humans realise just how much damage one man’s influence could do; when it went unchecked.
A Lesson that Germany learned all to well; and still to this day acknowledges the horrible events that took place during World War II — and aims to remind people every day through signs throughout the country that the people do not forget the monstrosity that took place under the Nazi regime.
Australia, a country which has also seen its’ fair share of brutality — acknowledged and apologised to the Aboriginal Inhabitants of the Land and the massacre that their ancestors had laid upon their people.
So why is acceptance so necessary? Because only by admitting our mistakes can we progress towards a better future.
But when a country or its’ politicians fail to acknowledge their mistakes — change can never follow; as it persists with a failed sense of ignorance.
