Fresh grief comes in. 

A friend tells me more about another corner of the world and its suffering.

Suddenly strangers turn into the friend of a friend and the world is made small. So small. 

And the hurt is made large. So large. 

And I stop. I cry. I cry so often now. 

No one tells you how much being an adult is shedding tears for things you are powerless to change.

And I think to myself, "do I have room for this too?"

Surprisingly, the answer is "yes". Always yes. 

I will let this grief in. 

Grief stacked upon grief. 

A world hurting in a thousand ways becomes

A thousand worlds hurting in their own thousand ways. 

And I can do so little. 

They tell you to do "the work" but

They don't tell you how much "the work" is just holding the door of your heart open

Long after it is full to breaking. Broken and still filling.

Life happens stacked on top of death. Death on top of life. 

You can reduce your pain if you look away

Close your eyes, close your heart.

But your heart will shrink 

And you will know deep inside that the suffering is still there. Still there. 

And you, you have turned away

And added to it.