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The human condition is wrought with inevitability. Each of us is in charge of our path, but there will always be moments of pain and of sheer joy, such is the ebb and flow of life. During my time in San Juan de la Concepcion, Nicaragua, I experienced the resilience of the human spirit, and was a part of the deep and relieving breath of community in the face of loss.
On a day when the ceiling of clouds seemed impenetrable, I noticed a candle burning beneath my host family’s painting of the Virgin Mary. The wax had spread across the tile and the flame did not waver. I asked my host sister, Valezka, “What happened?” I could sense her reluctance to explain; however, the language barrier could not hide sadness. Emotions are universal; every being has the same propensity for joy and pain.
What actually happened was startling. On the night of June 16th a man, a father, a member of the San Juan community had been murdered, yards away from the small house I called home. Gonzalo, my host father, looked at me gravely and told me that he had been one of his close friends. My shaky command of the Spanish language left me speechless in the wake of his sorrow. “Que lastima,” what a shame, was all I could say. For the rest of the afternoon, the normally warm, swaddling tropical air felt cold. It was the closest I had ever been to death, I felt lost.
However, it was the aftershock of the event that left a lasting impression on my soul. The next morning, as I walked to my Spanish class, there was the familiar pungent smell of rotting mangoes, the usual hum of insects, but something was different. Every house had a candle burning in it. Even in the daylight, the brightness of compassion lit the sky. My host mother, Miriam, told me when I got home that she was making extra gallopinto to take to the family of the deceased. The entire town of San Juan felt compelled to care for those suffering most. It reinforced my belief that it is our human obligation to be compassionate.
In the face of such horrific tragedy, it is easy to become disillusioned with humanity. What the community of San Juan taught me is that the majority of people live each day with love and positivity. Life is loss and gain, it is inspirational and sometimes painful, but most importantly it is a communal experience in which we all have the opportunity to make a positive impact.
All it took to begin the healing process was the lighting of a candle, and the sharing of rice and beans. All it takes to spark peace is to be peaceful. I learned in the sweet stickiness of the tropics, surrounded by a soft hymn of Spanish, that it would forever be my duty to live as a responsible and compassionate member of my human family.

-This post was made possible by Arianne C. Thomas, a good friend and wonderful writer, and the author of this story.