To Raven,
I will not tell you each day of your beauty,
though you are radiant beyond the stars.
Instead, I will whisper of your worth,
the light you bring, the love you are.
My greatest wish is not for perfect grades,
not trophies, nor medals, nor gilded gates.
I do not dream of the finest schools,
but of a heart that listens, a soul that waits.
May you be kind in a world that forgets,
may you see those who feel unseen.
Stand strong in yourself, yet open your hands,
gentle and fierce, both tender and keen.
Set your boundaries like roots in the earth,
but let your heart be wide as the sea.
For those who feel, who care, who heal,
are the ones who shape destiny.
So walk with grace, with eyes that see,
with love that lifts and words that mend.
The world is changed by those with empathy,
and kindness, my love, has no end.
Love Mum xo
So, what I Say When People Ask: What Can I Do to Change the World?
Go home and love your family.
It sounds simple, almost too small to matter. But if we truly understood the power of a loving home, we’d see that it’s not small at all—it’s everything.
Right now, an estimated 153 million children worldwide are orphaned. Millions more grow up in homes devoid of warmth, raised in neglect, abuse, or emotional isolation. In the U.S. alone, more than 400,000 children are in foster care, many cycling through a system that struggles to provide stability. And beyond those statistics are the countless children who, though not orphaned in the literal sense, grow up without love, without safety, without someone who makes them feel wanted.
Childhood trauma isn’t just a personal burden—it ripples outward, shaping societies in profound ways. Studies show that children who experience neglect or abuse are far more likely to struggle with mental health issues, addiction, violence, and cycles of poverty. A landmark ACEs (Adverse Childhood Experiences) study found that early trauma dramatically increases the likelihood of chronic disease, incarceration, and even early death.
Now, imagine a world where every child was raised with love. A world where families were strong, where all parents nurtured their children emotionally, where cycles of pain weren’t passed down but broken—intentionally, fiercely, with love. Crime rates would plummet. Mental health crises would decline. Societies would be more compassionate, more whole.
We talk about changing the world like it’s some grand, distant mission. But the world starts at the dinner table. It starts with bedtime stories, showing up, speaking kindness instead of criticism, and choosing presence over distraction.
So when people ask me, What can I do to make a difference?
I tell them this: Go home. Love your family. Because that’s where the world changes first.
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Beautifully said. I love your sweet prose to Raven too. My heart goes out to children who don’t feel seen though we know El Roi - God sees them. “Even if my father and mother abandon me, the Lord cares for me.” Psalm 27:10
This is beautiful!