My sister and I got to talking about how awful everything is in the world and how it becomes harder and harder to absorb it all.

We want to stay abreast of daily news as it is important to be informed, but every day there’s something new and terrible.

At this stage in our lives, we’ve seen it all — wars breaking out, dictators wreaking havoc, threats of violence, actual violence, murder, devastating floods, fires and landslides, greed, discrimination and hate. Oh, yes. Lots of that.

After living through the 1960s and ’70s, when in school we were taught the importance of respecting others, no matter the color of their skin, country of origin, culture and religion, we expected the world would change. It did, in many ways, but here we are.

In Sunday school, we learned, absorbed and believed in the lessons we were taught about loving our neighbors, giving to the poor, feeding the hungry and being humble.

As we sat in my living room in Waterville this week, Jane and I mulled the things we learned during our Skowhegan childhood. We shook our heads in disbelief at the hate and cruelty that persists against those deemed “different.”

Jane broke out into song, suddenly remembering lyrics we learned in Sunday school at the Federated Church more than 60 years ago:

“Red and yellow, black and white — they are precious in his sight — Jesus loves the little children of the world.”

We got to giggling, not only because we inexplicably recalled the words and melody so clearly, but also because the message is so simple, yet elusive to many. Written in the late 1800s by the Rev. Clare Herbert Woolston who reportedly witnessed discrimination in his congregation, the lyrics seem timelessly perfect. Why doesn’t everybody get it?

“What would Jesus do?” is a question that comes to mind each time I see people in power launch wars, destroy homes and neighborhoods, kill and maim children and adults, withhold food from starving people and send away those who are fleeing violence.

It’s the lessons we learned long ago that formed our belief that it is better to share with others than fear what they will take away from us, my sister and I agree. We are grateful to have and understand empathy.

As vitriol continues in Washington, D.C., and around the world, we can take solace in the generosity and compassion shown by our neighbors in central Maine who are collecting and donating food, feeding the hungry and caring for others.

Lately, I’ve been hearing a lot of people say they are excited about the upcoming holidays, especially because the world is so horrid, and that the next several weeks will bring some much-needed joy and goodwill.

I agree wholeheartedly, and look forward to those sparks of light.

Amy Calder has been a Morning Sentinel reporter 37 years. Her columns appear here Sundays. She is the author of the book, “Comfort is an Old Barn,” a collection of her curated columns, published in 2023 by Islandport Press. She may be reached at [email protected]. For previous Reporting Aside columns, go to centralmaine.com.