The senseless shooting in Orlando this past week has weighed heavy on me. One man’s hunger for destruction shattered the future for the victims, their families and friends. As I contemplated the effects of this tragedy, a theme I’ve often pondered came back to me again and again: The actions of one person can change many lives.

It’s easy to come up with examples of people throughout history who have caused great suffering. What we sometimes fail to remember, especially following a tragedy, are the countless individuals who have changed the world for the better, like William Tyndale, Abraham Lincoln, Martin Luther King, Jr., and Mother Theresa. And we cannot forget the millions of others we’ve never heard of who sacrifice and serve to elevate human beings everywhere.

I enjoy writing stories about people with special powers because I like to explore the possibilities of the unknown. Through these extraordinary powers, my characters can accomplish things beyond the abilities of a normal person. However, it is never far from my mind how much my ordinary characters contribute to my superhuman characters’ success. In fact, their actions often play a pivotal role in the outcome of the story.

I love these words from “Hero,” the theme song from the movie Spider-Man (Nickelback, 2002):

And they say that a hero could save us

I’m not gonna stand here and wait.

We’ve all heard it before: “Be the change you wish to see in the world.” (Attributed to Gandhi)

If one person can destroy so many lives, it must also be true that one person can uplift and strengthen many lives. We have the power.