The soul is healed by being with children' (Fyodor Dostoyevsky). Have you ever walked with a child, hand-in-hand, along the seashore on a breezy, summer's day? Her eyes are wide with wonder as she tries to take in the ocean's vastness, and our imaginations soar together. 'With your feet on the ground / You're a bird in flight / With your fist holding tight / To the string of your kite' (Mary Poppins). As an aunt to eight nieces and nephews, my heart could not be more full than when I am on such an adventure with my little ones. Smiles fill the room when we gather around in our pajamas to read a beloved story or watch a favorite movie. Sometimes we snuggle together with our cuddly cats or playful dogs, experiencing the love and joy of a pet. They laugh, they discover, and, above all, they know how dearly loved they are. Those eight hearts and souls make it an easy decision to volunteer with Blanket Fort Hope. I want those children who have been forgotten and abandoned to the darkness of human trafficking to know the same laughter and love. Because of this organization, these precious children will experience life, hand-in-hand, with a family who loves them, and with little arms wrapped around a four-legged friend. Each time I volunteer at a Blanket Fort Hope awareness event in our community, I remember those eight pairs of eyes that are close to my heart. I think about the countless pairs of eyes numbering the stars in the night's sky that are still waiting to emerge from the darkness. And at each of these educational events, I see more and more people open their eyes and hearts to these children. 'There can be no keener revelation of a society's soul than the way in which it treats its children' (Nelson Mandela). I am hopeful that the soul of our society will embrace these children and help lead them into the light of healing and love.
Review from #MyGivingStory