I Want to Heal the World

My mother once told me, "Kaitlyn, you have the gift of crying."

Whoa, wait. Who said it was a gift?

It's true. I cry a lot. I mean a lot. Daily. Obviously, I cry when I'm sad. I cry when I'm angry. I cry when I'm happy. I cry when I'm hungry. I cry when I'm nervous. I cry when I'm excited. I cry during every movie, I can even cry while I read. And often, I cry just because. It's just who I am, and for me there is no better way to lift the weight and stress of my world from my shoulders than by releasing it through my tears.

But a gift? I've never thought of this trait as a gift.

It should come as no surprise that tonight, I cried.

I read an article in the Salt Lake Tribune that devastated me. So I cried. And then, I cried some more.

I cried for the children, and women, and men in Darfur.

I cried for the estimated 25,000 children that die each day due to poverty.

I cried for the displaced people in Sri Lanka who are being terrorized and killed.

I cried because of genocide happening all over the world.

I cried for the millions of people around the world living with and dying from AIDS and HIV.

I cried for my own country, and the selfish choices we make without realizing all that we already have.

I cried because of the drug wars happening in Mexico and the countless number of victims that have been claimed.

I cried for the shameful wars happening in Iraq and Afghanistan and Israel.

I cried for the sweet underprivileged children that my mom teaches, many of whom wake up daily to seemingly hopeless futures.

I cried because I feel overwhelmed and hopeless over the conflicts, wars, and hate our world faces.

I cried and cried. And cried some more. Now I'm crying again.

So, crying is supposed to be a gift, huh?

Along with every other reason that I cry, I undoubtedly cry when I feel passionately about something. No matter what it is.

I guess it could be a gift. A gift of expression.

So, although I'm heading to bed with a tear streaked face and a discouraged heart, I'm grateful tonight for all that I'm blessed with. I truly am blessed. I hope that the path of my life leads me in a direction that will bless me with opportunities to help ease the burdens of the many people in the world who have little to hope for.

And that, I feel very passionately about.

Kindly,
Kait