Journal 52- Conversation Starter

A few weeks ago the prompt at Journal 52 was conversation starters and I knew right away I wanted to do a piece about children in detention. It is a challenging and confronting subject but it is a conversation we should all be having.

I dont know the answers,

 I am an empath and I feel the pain these kids must feel, 

I sense the hopeless desperation 

that years behind bars as an innocent child must feel like

and I despair.

There is so much going on in the world that brings sadness to me and I am a grown woman, living a free life and raising my children the way I want to raise them. I live a very blessed life compared to so many 

and yet

I feel so overwhelmed , so often by the wrong I see, by the pain and the neglect and the criminal and the unjust and the greed and misuse of power. 

and I feel it. 

I dont have a message to heal the situation,
I dont really know how it must be for these kids.

But I do know growing up locked up will not allow them to be the very best, healthiest, happiest people they can be and it will not help them become a part of society and live and contribute and possibly do great things.

I dont know the answers but maybe the role of the artist is to be the conversation starter and to let those more rational and clearer thinking seek the answers, 

the artist can express the feelings.