The Collective We…because there is nothing else.

On By Shayleene MacReynoldsIn travelblog

I remember going down to Mexico in high school to build houses. I remember the rains, fierce rains that made our work impossible; I remember sleeping nearly on top of the girl beside me, us huddling together for warmth, her snoring keeping me awake and enraged all night, stewing in my sleeping bag.
But mostly, I remember the children. Hungry. Barefoot. Covered in a fine coating of dust and dirt and grime. I remember their smiles my God did they smile these blooming, beautiful grins that stretched from ear to ear we colored on receipts and newspapers, on soiled meat wrappings and plastic bags. We drew circles in the dirt and jumped from ring to ring.
I remember the orphanage. The chilaquilas they made with stale, expired tortillas. The only meal those children would have that day. And I remember when every single child offered me a bite. Me, the well fed American who, to them, still looked hungry.
And I was. I was hungry for their love and for their peace, for their boundless joy and enthusiasm for their, to put it frankly, perfectly shitty lives. I’m reminded of this moment now. Of those children.
And I’m thinking on how our world is falling apart. And I’m not trying to be melodramatic but I didn’t want to live to see this. I didn’t want to see nations divided. I didn’t want to see political wars waged on the basis of cultural implications. But here I stand. Amidst the battlefield of humankind, wondering when we will finally understand that it isn’t about anything other than the blood that courses through our veins. The same color; the same richness; the same beauty. My heart is shattered. My stomach is nauseous. I cannot eat. I cannot sleep. Because my heart lies with each and every one of you. In those places I have visited. In the tattered, city streets of ruination. Of corruption. Of vast heartbreak and great loss.
My heart bursts with every explosive devise. It is engulfed in flames. It burns with a fury and with a passion. I am sorry. I am sorry that the world has come to this. I am sorry that I have lived to see these days.
I love you. Each and every one of you I love with a fury unbeknownst by time or limitations. I love you. All of you. As I am called to do.
And so I stand with the children. With the peacemakers. I wage war with the love in my heart, despite the implicit irony of such a statement. I walk your war torn streets. I cradle your children, whose faces are scarred and burned by the burdens of mankind. Whose wrists are thinning, whose cheeks have grown gaunt. Whose skin is sallow and pale but not pale enough to be considered worthy.
But most of all, I love. With a ferocity you cannot begin to understand. This time will end. It must. And I’ll be damned if I don’t see it through to the end. Because there are children counting on me. And like a mother, full of adrenaline, pulling the car off the body of her child I stand here, imbibed with strength and courage and determination, fighting for you. I will not rest until I have seen your victories and your successes. Because nations do not define the man. Borders do not make us. Boundaries do not give us character or attributes they merely give us distance. You are me. And I am you. And together, we are one.

20 thoughts on “The Collective We…because there is nothing else.”

  3. Awesome Shayleene and I so agree with your power packed post of so much love and care you have in your heart and what you are doing is so great, no words can I say, feel so touched. Boundless blessings to you and your friends who are doing a marvelous job. It is so nice to see our children being taken care of by people who know deep down that there is no one in this world who is different and we all are One and that is the Reality. God bless.

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  4. Such a powerful battlecry! I’m with you on this. I must say, your generosity of heart, passion for a cause and compassion for the less fortunate and ill-treated, are blessings to many.
    Wish you all the best, Shayleene!

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  7. This is very touching. ❤️​ I have a special place in my heart for children. I have worked in pediatric intensive care units for years. I’ve seen a lot. Children are innocent and don’t ask to be born. Sometimes they are born into the worst circumstances. Bless your heart for wanting to make a difference in their lives. I too have the same desire. Thank you for sharing a piece of your ❤️​. It’s beauttiful.

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