How many band-aids will it take to make the world a better place?

-Mommy, how many band-aids will it take to mend the world?

The mother looks at her little girl lost for words.

-What do you mean Lisa?

-When I hurt myself you always put a band-aid on it.

-That's true Lisa, I do, but what makes you think that the world needs a band-aid?

The little girl walks to the living room table, grabs the remote control and turns on the television.

-Look! she says as she flicks through one channel after the other.

-Look mommy, look at all the hurt. The animals are hurting, the fishes are hurting, people are hurting, everywhere you look there is hurt. Why is there so much hurt?

The mother looks at the screen as one devastating image after the other flicks by. It's true, she thinks to herself, there seem to be a lot of hurt in the world. I don't think I have really considered what effect all these images cascading off the screen may have on Lisa, or children in general.

-That is a very difficult question to answer Lisa, it is complicated. 

-Try Mommy, try to answer it, because seeing all the hurt makes me feel a bit sad, and I don't like feeling sad.

-Lisa, can you turn off the television please, and then we'll go into the kitchen, sit down and have a glass of juice and talk about it, okay?

-Okay, Mommy. 

They walk into the kitchen, the mother pours them both a glass of juice and they both sit down at the kitchen table.

-Lisa, you have asked a very important question, and to tell you the truth, I would also like to know why there is so much hurt in the world, you see, I too have wondered about that since I was a little girl. 

-Did you find the answer, Mommy?

-I have found a few answers, but every time I find an answer I also seem to find a new question. 

-What do you mean Mommy?

-You know how sometimes your friend Sally is nice to you and sometimes she is mean?

-Yeah, I don't understand why she can't be nice all the time.

-Good question Lisa, why can't she be nice all the time?

-I dunno, maybe she is just a mean person?

-Well, if the answer is that she is a mean person, then why is she so nice sometimes? See what I mean, once you have an answer, next minute a new question comes along.

Lisa takes a sip of juice, looks at her mother with a serious look on her face then asks: -Mom, are there people who are always nice and never mean? Are there people who never hurt other people? Are there people who are always nice to animals? Are there people who helps the world to be a good place?

How on earth do I answer those questions, the mother thinks to herself. 

-I don't know for sure Lisa, but I hope so. I know that there are many people who try their best to be nice to others and not hurt them, I know that there are people who work very hard on protecting and helping animals, I know that there are people who work very hard at looking after the health of our planet, and I know that there are people who are dedicated to teaching people how to be good to all living things.

-I wanna be one of those people Mommy. They help taking the hurt away.

Suddenly there is a big smile on Lisa's face. -Mommy, those people are like band-aids!!

Lisa suddenly hops off her chair and starts dancing and jumping around the kitchen.

-Look at me Mommy, I am a living band-aid!!!

Suddenly she stops.

-Mommy, how many band-aids will it take to make the world all better?

"You cannot hope to build a better world without improving the individuals. To that end, each of us must work for his/her improvement and, at the same time, share a general responsibility for all humanity, our particular duty being to aid those to whom we think we can be most useful."

(Marie Curie)