Eyes Wide Open

   Who knew eyes could hold so much?

   Eyes desperate and pleading, hopeful and thankful all at the same time. Her walk, though silent, spoke volumes. Although quite young, she moved slowly with a stride that was more struggle than strength, as though every footfall was a step of faith she wasn't sure she had.     

   I have seen but a small part of how the suffering world lives. But what I have seen is enough. I can no longer ignore the suffering or pretend it doesn't exist.
 
   This year I've had to face a hard but beautiful truth: I am no longer content to build a safe, comfortable life for myself where the pros outweigh the cons, where the reality of this world remains a distant phenomenon, a reality that can be ignored if I try hard enough.

   For all the "reality" shows on TV it seems we have lost touch with true reality. The reality is that we live in a world where people are dying before they truly get to live, where multitudes live in an airtight cage of poverty, where over 140 million are labeled "orphan."

   I want to live with my eyes wide open, awake and mindful of the suffering around me and in the world--a world where reality surpasses reason. This is what it means to bear one another's burdens, to lay down your life for your brother, to die to self. 

Suffering is real. And it's all around us. We'll see it--if we're willing to live with our eyes wide open. Are you willing? I am. I hope you'll join me.