Prayers for the Stolen

I am sitting on the patio outside my home. I am enjoying the holiday morning outside with my son - he is playing in the yard, oblivious to any danger in the world. The azaleas, birds of paradise and calla lilies are blooming, the birds are singing, I am sipping some coffee and feeling amazingly lucky. And yes, A is wearing his Christmas pajamas :)

How did I get so lucky when so, so many are not?

Sometimes we forget in our cocooned world how lucky we are. Lucky that we have the freedom of safety, family, sustenance, health, education...the luxuries of cars, pets, exercise, shopping, movies, restaurants, choice...pretty much everything my blog is about...

It is hard to remember that there are those that live in daily fear - fear of others, of starving, of being abducted, of going outside, of their own family, of illness. That we have so much and some have so little. It is hard grasp what fear and instability can do to children, when we are so far removed. It is hard to believe the truth of other's suffering.

I am so grateful that I live where I do, that I am so very lucky. I am so grateful my son can play happily outside without fear. I know that in many ways I am powerless to change the world, but sometimes change can start small.

This post was inspired by the novel Prayers for the Stolen by Jennifer Clement.  Ladydi was grew up in rural Mexico, where being a girl is a dangerous thing.She and other girls were “made ugly” to keep protect them from drug traffickers and criminal groups. Join From Left to Write on February 18 we discuss Prayers for the Stolen. As a member, I received a copy of the book for review purposes.