Written by 
Singer and author Nick Cave is no stranger to darkness. Two of his sons have died. It’s an unimaginable pain.
Nick has risen from the darkness to bring light to others through his The Red Hand Files, where he thoughtfully answers any questions his followers pose.
Below is a sample of Nick’s articulate and compelling responses. This one he wrote in response to Valerio from Stockholm, who asked, “The last few years, I’m feeling empty and more cynical than ever. I’m losing faith in other people, and I’m scared to pass these feelings on to my little son. Do you still believe in us human beings?”
Dear Valerio,
Much of my early life was spent holding the world and the people in it in contempt. It was a position both seductive and indulgent. The truth is, I was young and had no idea what was coming down the line.
It took a devastation to teach me the preciousness of life and the essential goodness of people.
It took a devastation to reveal the precariousness of the world, of its very soul, and to understand that the world was crying out for help.
It took a devastation to understand the idea of mortal value.
And it took a devastation to find hope.
Unlike cynicism, hopefulness is hard-earned, makes demands upon us, and can often feel like the most indefensible and lonely place on Earth.
Hopefulness is not a neutral position. It is adversarial. It is the warrior emotion that can lay waste to cynicism.
Each redemptive or loving act, as small as you like—such as reading to your little boy or showing him a thing you love or singing him a song or putting on his shoes—keeps the devil down in the hole.
It says the world and its inhabitants have value and are worth defending.
It says the world is worth believing in.
In time, we come to find that this is so.
Love, Nick