Opening Verse: The Weight of One Life
If you could save just one life, would you?
This question has haunted me through every word of the 509 blogs I’ve written. It all began with a simple, 60-word post on Facebook—an unassuming message about the misusing of social media. Safe travels and the nuances of parenting were the theme of my Blogs. I didn’t anticipate the ripple it would create, nor the path it would set me on. But that small act ignited something within me, a realization that words carry power, that they can reach into the void and touch souls lost in the shadows.
The night I shared that first post, I stared at the ceiling, sleep elusive. A storm of thoughts swirled in my mind. Was anyone listening? Could a few sentences make a difference? The glow of the screen had faded, but its afterimage burned behind my eyes. I felt a pull—a calling—to dive deeper, to use my voice to illuminate the darkness that many choose to ignore.
I began exploring stories that others shied away from, peeling back layers to reveal the harsh realities of predators lurking in plain sight and the insidious web of human trafficking. Each blog became a beacon, a flare shot into the night sky, signaling to anyone out there that they were not alone. I wrote about safe passages, the importance of vigilance, and the silent cries of those trapped in unimaginable circumstances.
Then came the message that changed everything: “Your words gave me the courage to leave.” A survivor had found solace and strength in my writings. Her story was one of unimaginable hardship, but also of resilience and hope. In that moment, the weight of what I was doing hit me. My words had transcended the digital abyss and reached a real, beating heart. The abstract became tangible. The question I’d been asking wasn’t hypothetical anymore.
Could I save just one life? The answer was unfolding before me.
But with that realization came a heavier burden. The stories I unearthed were not just tales; they were lived nightmares. Children manipulated by those they trusted, individuals sold and traded as commodities, lives crushed under the weight of others’ greed and perversion. The more I learned, the more imperative it became to continue—to shout louder into the void.
I recalled a fundamental principle rooted deeply in my faith and echoed across religions and moral codes: saving one life is akin to saving the entire world. It’s a reminder that every soul carries infinite value, that our actions, no matter how small, can have profound impacts.
