by Kayla Rodrigues
Dear Kids,
It’s not supposed to be like this. The world is supposed to be filled with love and light, not tears and fright. Birds are supposed to sing, humans are supposed to smile, and plants are supposed to stay green for a while. We’ve raised you in a world that’s so unlike what it’s meant to be. The thought of having kids scares me more than anything, because bringing a child into a world so uncontrollable leaves me in a spiral of anxiety. Why would anyone want to live in a world so brutal, unkind, and unforgiving. It’s not supposed to be like this.
Children are dying and it’s dismissed as another story on the news. How are we supposed to send you to school and not battle the thought of losing you. It’s not our family today, but what’s stopping it from being ours tomorrow. That uncertainty is terrifying because even if it never happens, we’ll be burdened by the “what if” for the rest of our lives. Do you remember when neighborhoods were so safe that homes would have their doors unlocked? Or was that time too long ago that it was never something you’ve known? It’s not supposed to be like this.
You’d think by college we could trust you enough to send you on your way and finally have some peace of mind, but even universities can’t keep children safe. People are being raped, and instead of perpentrators it’s victims who are being shamed. Sexual assault alegations are being swept under the rug, because acknowledging what’s wrong will only bring bad press. As long as administrators or officers are getting paid, and the athletes are bringing in fame, then there’s only substances and sensitivity to blame. You wander around town wondering what you can do. People say if you speak up they’ll help you, but once you do they prove themselves untrue. It’s not supposed to be like this.
Even through adulthood there is so much wrong. You vote for the wrong party and people are out for your head. Don’t dare have opinions that are different or else you are an unworthy outcast. You are now all grown and the world is still so out of touch. The facts are too unreal so you swallow it with a pill. You ignore all the pain or desensitize to escape, and then the system cycles through another generation. The fire alarm goes off and people stay in their seats. Another person dies and people think thank God it’s not me. In a world of so much divide something needs to change. It’s not supposed to be like this.
I'm so sorry we brought you here so unprepared. I hate to see your innocence stripped by a world that’s supposed to leave you blessed. Day after day my heart aches for you. I want to fix the problem, but the amount of damage that’s been done scares me. I want to cradle you and shelter you from anything that puts harm your way. The world is supposed to be good, so to the youth, I beg of you, please do what they could never do. It’s not supposed to be like this.