I’d never heard of Charlie Kirk until his death. It doesn’t sound like he and I had much in common, politically or otherwise. But his death has put me in mourning – not for him, personally – as I said I’d never heard of him – but I’m in mourning for my country. I’m in mourning for all the schoolchildren killed by guns, and the resort to violence that has taken the lives of people on both the left and the right. I’m in mourning for the death of basic civility and respect for life. I’m in mourning for the death of decency in our political system.

But here’s what’s keeping me going through my mourning: Every day I encounter people who still show kindness, who still show generosity. These aren’t celebrities and politicians – these are just “regular” people who have the courage to get out of bed every day and face whatever the world throws at them. These are our world’s real heroes. For our world’s kind people, I am grateful.