Helping is the Only Helping

I am not saying this with pride or with shame, but I rarely enjoy anything in life..possibly never… without awareness of the suffering of others. Ice cream, a beautiful sunshine day, the laughter of my kids, looking into Ever's eyes, a hot bath, even when I am suffused in love, I am aware of the pain in this world. The pain of other people haunts me. And when I say this, I know that my awareness comes not from somewhere glorious and saintly, like Mother Teresa, but from my own suffering as a child, which haunts me, and I have finally understood, always will. The worst things that could happen didn't even happen to me- there are so many worse things that could have happened. But for a deeply sensitive and intelligent and naturally anxious and highly imaginative child, it was enough to feel afraid, deeply lonely and often even terrified much of the time. It is the thought of a child feeling this way that leaves me unable to sleep. It is the knowledge of how many innocent children are being beaten and then sent to school the next morning, how many innocent children are being left alone, locked in rooms, unfed and most damagingly, unloved, that breaks me. I have to find how to do more to help, because helping IS the only helping. Crying doesn't help anyone. I want to do something. 

These tweets are read bottom up. 

These children have a natural right to our protection. It is the biological and spiritual order of life that our young are protected.  It is our moral obligation to protect the children in our communities. If their parents or caretakers are too broken to protect them, we won't know if we aren't looking and listening and have thought about it beforehand- what will you do when you suspect a child is being hurt? I have called social services twice in my life, and both times I wanted to vomit. I was terrified, guilt stricken and sad, even though I knew I was doing the right thing. It was still so hard. And I never, for one second, regretted it. I know from watching the people around me in many situations that most people choose to tune out when their brain is bringing them information that they don't want to deal with, and this includes the suffering of a child. Deciding when action is needed, what to do, how to do it, what line to cross- these are weighty and difficult decisions bound to provoke anxiety. People choose to avoid those feelings, and thereby avoid the responsibility they hold to the innocent. You cannot truly grow up until you relinquish your comfort for the benefit of the helpless. 

When I find out what else I can do besides sign petitions and write people and raise money and awareness, I will come back and talk about it. 

This little girl was Ever's age. It's not her death that is horrific. It's what she felt and knew. Suffering, and panic, and knowing that no one was helping. 

What is the point of this? The point is to consider your responsibility. To consider what you will and will not do. To pay attention. To protect even when it makes your hair turn white with stress. Many people who would throw themselves in front of a car for a child might walk away from a man dragging a child by their hair to the car, yelling at them. The same people who would easily call the police on a child left alone in their car would ignore a sobbing child getting verbally assaulted by a man at Target. I know because this happened to me. I spoke up and listen, it took me a minute. It was terrifying. I was afraid my kids might see something upsetting. I was afraid the man might scream at me. But WE HAVE TO or nothing will ever change. The worst thing that could have come out of that scenario is that child leaving Target knowing that not a SINGLE ADULT would speak up for him. Think about what kind of person that makes. The kind of person who will grow up and beat his kids, that's what kind. A person who does not believe in human beings. A person who feels, at their core, abandoned by the world. Don't let that happen on your watch.

Justice For Emma @JusticeForEmma · 1h

@Prayers For Emma ~ Another beautiful little girl named Emma has been murdered by her mother and boyfriend in... http://fb.me/6FN4sPNvl 

• Replied to 0 times

Maggie May Ethridge @fluxcapacitor74 · 3m

I'm sick of crying and praying and writing people.I want to do something real,I want to grab a scared child & take them somewhere safe.

• Replied to 0 times

Maggie May Ethridge @fluxcapacitor74 · 5m

Typing all this out isn't helping. HELPING is the only helping.

• Replied to 0 times

Maggie May Ethridge @fluxcapacitor74 · 5m

That's what we need. I want to join THAT army. THAT's the real Children's Liberation Army.

• Replied to 0 times

Maggie May Ethridge @fluxcapacitor74 · 6m

Armies of people, combing through poverty ridden apartments and the places where children scream and the police don't come.

• Replied to 0 times

Maggie May Ethridge @fluxcapacitor74 · 7m

Can good people sleep well? I know the 'right' answers, but deep in my gut, I'm not sure what the real answer is.

• Replied to 0 times

Maggie May Ethridge @fluxcapacitor74 · 9m

I'll never be quiet when I see a child being hurt. I speak out even when it's embarrassing or awkward. Children are defenseless.

• Replied to 0 times

Maggie May Ethridge @fluxcapacitor74 · 10m

it's just a 'normal day' when normal days hold these horrors. I want to save ALL THE CHILDREN. Emma I'm so sorry you suffered. :( Prayers.

• Replied to 0 times

Maggie May Ethridge @fluxcapacitor74 · 10m

don't know how I'll sleep. How can we sleep when innocent children are being hurt? Sometimes I don't know how to live in this world as if-

• Replied to 0 times

Maggie May Ethridge @fluxcapacitor74 · 11m

I just saw on Twitter that a 3 y/o girl was murdered by her mother and mother's BF after severe child abuse. Now I am crying and-