On the nightly news, we watch Putin's evil kill many on all sides of the conflict. We watch this man and his cronies' evil destroy property, displace families, harm, and kill people. This carnage and destruction is a heavy weight on the world for so many reasons--there will be the long time pain and suffering related to broken, harmed families, ruined communities, and oppressive, deadly governments to come. What can we do?
I remember feeling this way as a child when I read the numbers of military dead during the Vietnam War and watched the deadly carnage on television. We will never forget the scenes of innocent children fleeing bombs, tortured/injured/dead soldiers, and so many displaced refugees.
I have felt the same way watching children poisoned in Syria, mutilated in Africa, separated from their parents at the border in America and more.
What do we do about this evil?
Bottom line, if we lead with the eyes on what is right and good for children, we will right our work and efforts across the globe in the following ways:
- lift people from poverty--children thrive when they have what they need to live healthy lives
- protect the planet--our children depend on accessibility to healthy, natural resources
- eliminate evil, oppressive, hateful, bigoted, greedy regimes everywhere in the world. Evildoers hurt and harm all of us including the children.
- create strong communities of care everywhere in the world--communities with optimal health care, education, homes, nutrition, healthy recreation, natural resources and beauty.
- work together as a people across the globe to tackle the challenges that obstruct good living for all, and especially good living for children.
As a person who has spent most of her life with children, I know that children lead us in positive ways--they inspire the best of who we are and what we can be. We must heed their call and do our work with the lives of children first in our minds and efforts. If we do that, we will all do better. Onward.