It takes a child to raise a village

To the sweet goth girl at the fair yesterday...
your dad kicked a piece of plastic out of his path, and I watched you stoop to pick it up. I saw the flicker of disappointment cross your face as you searched for the nearest trash can. He may not have noticed your small act of care, but I did. I hope you keep doing what you did in that moment: setting shining examples for him and for everyone watching.

Too often, children are forced to face the weaknesses of their parents, to watch them stumble over easy tasks, choose wrongly when the right choice feels obvious, or let pride, ego, and ignorance win. It costs children tiny pieces of their safety every time.

And yet... children are still granted their ideologies beneath the umbrella of protection their parents provide. Adulthood, with all its loneliness, trials, and hardships, narrows our vision. It wears away at empathy. It hardens us. But children, unless abandoned or burdened beyond their years, are still free to bask in hope.

“It takes a village to raise a child,” we say. But let’s remember: it also takes children to raise a village. Their small acts and simple, tender ideals soften our edges. Their elemental worldview should remind us of who we used to be, who we still want to be.

So to the girl who picked up the trash from the midway yesterday: keep going, angsty teen goddess. You’re beautiful, and you matter more than you know, beloved.

Need a reminder of the innocent and perfect child living inside you? Let my talismans serve you daily by doing just that.