With God's tools at his disposal, does man not have the means to carve a better earth?

I've been noticing a sadness in people as of late. Maybe not so much noticing as sensing, really. Everywhere I go, I look at people and I feel this depression coming from them. And it's not just in older people, as I had originally thought. At first, I would pass a lone elderly person and my heart would break for him (I say him because this happened to be the case more often than not- perhaps widows are not as comfortable venturing out on her own as widowers may be...in any event--), but now I notice a sadness radiating from younger people as well. I'm not sure why I notice this, or why these connections are becoming more frequent. Maybe it's a sign of the times, maybe it's misery loving company put into practice, maybe I'm reading entirely too far into the mannerisms of passersby- regardless: there is a sadness in this world that's making me (note: I'd like to use a word other than "sad" here to avoid repetition, but a professor (author?) once said it is best to use the word you really mean. and I do mean sad. as such:) sad. But you know what, when I reflect on these instances, I feel a certain amount of self-centeredness: why didn't I speak to these people? why am I butting into their private lives, making unfounded assumptions, feeling sorry for something that is largely fictional as far as stated fact is concerned?  what can I do to make the world a better place? I, I, I. What really should be asked is, what is this person's story? why are his/her eyes downcast and glazed over with the understanding of Pain? why has sadness chosen this person on which to moor?

There is a reason for everything.
And there is an answer to everything.
But there is not always reason in everything.
And everything is not always within reason.