What comes to mind when you hear the word evil? Is it a supervillain? Is it darkness? Is it hatred? Of course, like always, these are all valid answers. There is no correct answer.

Evil leads to darkness, hatred, and sorrow. Evil is what tears holes in the fabrics of emotion. It is what suffocates happiness and joy. It is what causes us to turn against our kin, villains and heroes alike.

There is evil inside each and every one of us. We wouldn’t be human without it. Our heart is like a garden. It starts small at first, but if you nurture it, it will become larger. But a garden is evil is not a garden of fruits and flowers. It is a garden of weeds. They choke out other plants and take control. The fruits, vegetables, and flowers, the plants we wish to see more of, represent happiness. When the weeds of hate, sorrow, and darkness take over, it is difficult to restore balance once more.

Some people nurture the weeds more than others, though some may not realize they are doing it. They become blinded by the traits of evil and can no longer tell what is wrong or what is right. Some may even enjoy being evil, though no-one can tell how many weeds are in their garden.

Some people nurture the fruits more than normal, which can also be a problem. Too many fruits and you don’t have the ability to harvest them all. They weigh down on the plant, and it can no longer produce. When people try to banish all sorrow and darkness from their lives, they become overly content. They are happy with themselves and feel alive. But then you become so content with yourself, you soon lack any real emotion.

For example, if you see a kid, all alone and weeping in a corner, in this situation, you would smile at him and continue your business. Well, he can fix his life, and then he will be as happy as me, you say to yourself.

It is important to have a balance. A thriving garden will need both weeds and fruit. Weeds bring nutrients to the surface, and the fruits feed off them to grow and produce for the consumer. In other words, every person has to have both evil and good in their life. Sorrow brings you experience, so when you see a person who is also sorrowful, you will know how they feel. In this garden, you can mix breeds to create new plants. You can combine sorrow and empathy together to create compassion. These traits are needed in order to grow into a decent human being.

A person cannot solely live off of light. After all, you cannot notice the light without a shadow.