Emptiness

Just yesterday, I finished watching a movie known as The Lovely Bones. It’s basically about a young teenage girl named Susie Salmon who has her whole life in front of her. She has a hobby of taking beautiful pictures, and even starts a romantic relationship with the guy of her dreams. All is going well for her! This is the part where I get in the plot… If you don’t want this movie spoiled, stop reading!! Don’t say I didn’t warn ya!

The first part of the movie is beautiful to watch. Again, it’s about a teenage girl living the life of her dreams. One day, she’s walking to her home alone. One of her neighbor’s notice her in a grassy field, and he explains there’s a cabin nearby that he built for the neighborhood kids. Being curious, she follows him. Do you see where this is going? If you’re squeamish, this is the point of the movie you should look away. It turns into a very, very dark story-line.

The main character — being Susie Salmon — is killed in the cabin. The rest of the story goes on in which Susie watches her family search for her killer. I know, you’re on the edge of your seat, aren’t you? Do you want me to finish the story? This is where I stop, so too bad! I’m no good at explaining story-lines anyway…

After the scene, it made me wonder a little bit. There are so many out there who commit murder. Whenever I think of this, I can’t put my mind around why someone would do such. It’s easy to kill someone in the movies. It’s a different story in real-life. You can imagine the strain and effort it takes to look into another human’s eyes and pull the trigger. Who would ever find joy in causing significant pain in another? But in fact, there are those out there who would do such.

So why would anyone murder? Or why would anyone at least hurt another human being? I contend it’s dehumanization. In other words, “I’m important, and the other person is equivalent to a cockroach!” Similar to a cockroach infestation, some might say it’s allowed to exterminate the pesky insects. Maybe even obligatory! But this article isn’t named such, is it? That’s because when you look at a murderer, it’s more complicated than simply saying, “I don’t like that person!” There’s something more. A motive that’s difficult to understand.

This leads to the feelings that the murderer is experiencing. What’s the reason why an individual looks at another like a cockroach? In addition to my previous claim, I contend it’s emptiness. The murderer is looking for a “high,” similar to a drug. They have a void in their heart that needs to be filled, and murder fits the bill. This doesn’t mean the murderer has a legitimate excuse to kill another. Through a series of poor past actions — such as taking drugs, the murderer resorts to execution in order to fill the void. Obviously, this is to never be tolerated. Murder is murder.

Personally, I’m so glad I could write this article. It explains a lot about those who have hurt me in the past. Perhaps it can explain why others hurt you in your past as well. It’s emptiness. Yes, we need to be wary of these people who hurt others. At the same time, let them know in a loving manner that God fills that void! How? Because God gives us purpose in this life. It’s no longer about filling our own desires. It’s about filling God’s desires through love and empathy. And nothing is more joyous than loving your neighbor. I encourage you to find forgiveness for those who’ve hurt you in the past. We’re all struggling on this earth together. Again, there’s no excuse for one to physically hurt another. But let us have peace and tell others how God can fill the void. Never again do we have to feel empty. This is the gift God gave us.