Reflections of a Hurting World
To receive Spiritual Insights by Gabrielle directly in your inbox, subscribe here.
My heart feels heavy as I write this.
I’ve always enjoyed being present on social media. I think it’s fun to share pieces of my life and see what others are up to. But lately, something has shifted, and it has left me feeling deeply sad.
Everywhere I look, there’s discourse. Everyone has an opinion, and so many are ready to go to war to prove theirs is the “right” one. Even the safest corners of the internet can turn dark. I see this often on my YouTube channel and other platforms. My goal has always been to bring as much light and truth into the world as I can, yet the amount of hate I see, directed not only at me but at other viewers, is something I spend a lot of time and energy trying to moderate. I want the spaces I create to feel safe for healing and vulnerability, but keeping them that way has become a battle of its own.
The more I witness the hate that’s everywhere, the more I realize how disconnected we are from each other and from ourselves. This world is a mirror. Everything we see reflects something back to us, and navigating that mirror can be both triggering and transformative. The more we recognize this truth, the less we attack the reflection and the more we turn inward. But watching how quick people are to tear others down just to “win” an argument makes it clear how much self-hatred exists in the world.
How we speak to others mirrors how we speak to ourselves. We recognize the darkness in someone else only because it exists within us too. The more we reject our own shadow, the more we judge and criticize it in others. This is some of our deepest healing work.
When I talk about self-love, I don’t just mean loving the good parts of ourselves. True, unconditional self-love means learning to embrace the shadow, the parts rooted in anger, pain, or resentment. Because at its core, the shadow is simply hurt. It is the part of us that has been wounded and is reacting from that wound. Learning to understand, empathize with, and love our shadow is the real work. Our shadow isn’t meant to be rejected; it’s meant to be understood. The more we reject our own shadow and tear down the shadow in others, the further we disconnect from love.
This doesn’t mean we excuse harmful behavior. It means we recognize that every decision rooted in anger or hatred is ultimately rooted in pain. Adding more hurt to someone’s shadow only multiplies the pain in the world. We can’t change other people, but we can choose to respond with love, even when we don’t understand. That is how compassion and connection grow in a world that is desperate for both.
The more I witness this disconnection, the more I pray that every person finds moments where they feel seen, heard, and understood. People don’t lash out because they’re evil; they do it because they feel attacked, defeated, or unseen. What we need right now isn’t more division over who is “right” or “wrong.” What we need is connection rooted in love. We need community.
When we isolate ourselves from people with different opinions, we forget that we’re all part of the same whole. We’re more alike than we realize. We all crave love, stability, and peace, but chasing those things through disconnection only leaves us more isolated, angry, and hopeless.
This doesn’t mean we shouldn’t stand up for what we believe in. Using our voices for what matters is one of the most important things we can do. But there’s a way to stand firm in our truth without dehumanizing those who see things differently. Lately, my intention has been curious compassion. When we understand that every belief stems from someone’s lived experience, we see that most people are doing the best they can with what they know. Again, that doesn’t excuse behavior; it simply allows us to respond with love instead of more separation.
The more we remember this, the less tension we feel. The more we relax into love, the more we rise together.
With love and gratitude,
Gabrielle N.
