Listening to the news while on a run today, I concurred with the anchor’s assessment of our collective feelings about society: we feel there is an inevitable decline. There’s no doubt that the pandemic has made visible many pervasive problems that persist in our nation and around the world.

And while I may share in that view at times, it somehow, paradoxically, strengthens my resolve: there’s room to get better, which means it can be better. We can build a better world; it’s an opportunity.

While we fight our way out of this pandemic and its many effects on our way of life, it’s important to also remember the learnings and the potential. We can change the world.