WE NEED YOU – PART TWO
It is never too late to help us.
In Part One I shared with you that for many years I worked in the field of Child Protective Services. I worked with children and parents who were facing some of the darkest hours of their lives. Their resiliency and determination gave them the strength to overcome trauma most folks will never experience. They inspired this story.
Once again in this section the drawings are doodles done mostly on notebook paper. I kept the simple art work and the lines for it is, after all, a message form children.
The words echo the words I heard over and over from children of all ages who had experienced abuse and neglect. Some were young ones, not even in school yet. Others were teens.
Others were adults who never had healed the tired and sad child within them.
Often they were withdrawn and afraid, at first reluctant to talk or seek help.
In time they shared what it was like to live in a world shadowed by abuse or neglect. Some described themselves as being actors, looking at life through windows in a play they never would have written.
Others ran from the world or were the perfect student or the toughest teen. No matter how often they seemed to push away others, inside they really wanted to be connected and safe and loved.
If you missed PART ONE click here to read the first section of this story
NOW FOR PART TWO
WE NEED YOU
Written and illustrated by Shaun Brink
(c)2014 all rights reserved
We may not seem like we are hurt or we need you. Don’t let us fool you.
The yearning for safety and peace fills our whole body.
We imagine what it would be like to feel
free
and
happy
and
safe.
We dream about a place where no one will hurt us
with words
or violence
or the emptiness of neglect.
So we wait . . .
and we try
and we look
and we hope.
We know it is hard for you to think about children like us who are hurt.
We see the shock in your eyes when you hear about the things we have experienced.
We see the sadness in your eyes,
especially when you don’t know how to help.
But please,
see us.
Do not forget us
or turn away from us.
You can help us.
You don’t have to be rich or have fancy words.
Just include us in your lives.
Be kind to us.
Help us to be a child again.
Read us books and give us balloons.
Encourage us to splash in the mud puddles
and dance silly dances
Listen to us
with you ears and your eyes
and your heart.
Most important of all,
please give us support
and understanding.
It is not too late to help us. . . even if we are 13 years old
or 28
or 45
or even 70 years old . . .
for that hurt child in us may still be yearning for safety and peace and beauty.
We need you.
NOTE FROM SHAUN
Thank you from the children. Your simple acts of caring can help the child in all of us find love and safety.
(c)2014 Sbrink
All rights reserved
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Shaun
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