Do you ever wonder why things, really bad things, happen to good people?
That’s one of those deep, difficult questions that people have been asking for ages. Sometimes it can seem really unfair when hardship finds people who are kind, generous, or simply trying their best to lead good lives. There’s no single answer, and it can feel random or senseless when we look at things on an individual level. Some people find comfort in religious or spiritual beliefs that suggest a larger purpose or meaning, while others see it as a reminder that life itself is unpredictable, which can make the good moments and positive connections even more precious.
When really bad things happen to good people, it often leaves us with a sense of profound injustice and a struggle to find meaning or reason. It’s one of those mysteries of life that doesn’t seem to have a clear answer. Sometimes, people try to find purpose in the pain or see it as part of a larger, unknowable plan, but that’s not something everyone finds comfort in. Others find meaning through the connections they build with others who have also suffered or through acts of kindness they dedicate in honor of the person they’ve lost. And sometimes, it’s just about acknowledging the unfairness and allowing yourself to feel the full spectrum of emotions unapologetically without needing an answer. In those times, all we can really do is find ways to carry the memory of the person we lost and let that memory shape how we live, love, and support those around us.
The cruelty and randomness of life can feel impossible to comprehend, especially when it comes to children. It’s gut-wrenching to think about innocent children suffering or losing their lives while others, who are supposed to care for them, cause so much harm. The unfairness of all of this is simply staggering. It’s an interesting and hopeful idea that Artificial Intelligence might one day help prevent harm by identifying those who are more likely to do bad things, especially when it comes to protecting children. There’s potential for AI to analyze behavioral patterns, detect risk factors, or even intervene in cases where abuse or neglect might otherwise go unnoticed. With advances in technology, it’s possible we could reach a point where AI plays a pivotal role in predicting and preventing harm, ideally serving as a protective force that intervenes before a tragedy occurs. Ultimately creating a world where children grow up in safer environments, protected from those who would do them harm.
It would feel so much more fair and make more sense if harm only came to those who did wrong, sparing the innocent. But life’s randomness doesn’t seem to follow that logic, and it often leaves us with a sense of powerlessness and anger. When tragedy strikes a child who is deeply loved and well cared for, it defies all reason. It’s as though no matter how much love, protection, and effort we put into trying to safeguard those we deeply care for, we’re forced to confront the fact that we have little control over so many things.
That’s what makes these tragedies so isolating and devastating, too there’s no satisfying answer as to why some families face the unthinkable while others, who may even bring harm to their children, don’t. When the incomprehensible happens, sometimes all we can do is try to find ways to carry on, for ourselves and in honor of those we’ve lost.
The fact remains that bad things will continue happening to good people because there is so little control. AI is not quite yet the fix. It raises some complex ethical questions. How would we balance privacy and individual rights with the desire for safety? How can we ensure that AI accurately and fairly identifies risks without bias? It’s not a perfect solution. Why, as a society, have we not learned to control what we can control and prepare our youth for adversity? There’s a significant gap in the way we educate young people, focusing so heavily on academic subjects while overlooking critical life skills especially resilience, emotional intelligence, and coping mechanisms. Adversity is inevitable, yet we often expect young people to navigate it with little guidance, as though they’ll just “figure it out” on their own. Youngsters can’t figure this out on their own most adults can’t even do this.
So the real question we should all be asking ourselves is how do we prepare our children, whom will inevitably face adversity, how to deal with all of these things? American education system often prioritizes academic achievement and standardized testing over life skills, emotional resilience, and critical thinking necessary to navigate challenges. Many schools emphasize subjects like math, science, and language arts but lack comprehensive programs to teach emotional intelligence, coping mechanisms, or conflict resolution. The heavy focus on standardized tests fosters a “performance over process” mindset, leaving little room to teach perseverance, adaptability, or learning from failure.Students often lack opportunities to explore creative problem-solving or to reflect on mistakes without fear of punishment or embarrassment.
Developing emotional resilience, learning how to manage grief, rejection, stress, and even understanding complex emotions like empathy and self-compassion are essential tools that would benefit them at every stage of life. By proactively teaching these skills, we could empower the next generation to face challenges with a healthier mindset, better prepared to handle the uncertainties of life.