A very young man in my father's Friends Meeting committed suicide a few months ago. He left a note for his parents in which he said he knew he was loved by them and didn't blame them for anything; he simply did not want to live in a world so full of violence, war, poverty and greed. In addition to lots of loving support for the family, the Meeting's response was to step up its efforts to provide service opportunities for young Friends so they can channel their despair into action. Apparently, many of its youth members felt similarly hopeless about the world we live in. But, through service, these young people are learning that they CAN affect positive change as they see for themselves that, through THEIR efforts, the street is cleaner and safer, the garden grows, the child thrives.

Bless you, Kat, for supporting your friends and their families, and for reminding the Mudcat family that our children are crying and we need to comfort them.