The smallest act can change a life.

The young girl gasped with shock as her fathers hand flew across her cheek. She bit back tears as his words stung her ears, almost as much as the slap burned her face. After a painfully long wait, her drunken father fell asleep leaving the girl to creep up the stairs to the safety of her room. She sat down at her desk, to write a final note before swallowing the pills she has hidden under her pillow. With tears falling from her eyes she decideds to check her favorite website one last time, one last look at her friends smiling faces; faces that will never feel the pain of a father's hatred. She sees with surprise that each her friends have all rallied together in support of a cause she knows all too well: Child Abuse. It is a small act, silly in many regards, but they posted encouraging words for those who are in pain, phone numbers that have a caring soul on the other end. Each and every one of them took a few seconds out of their day to think about the wellfare of others, they planted a seed in the minds of others to reach out to people in need. With a trembling hand she dials the number...In a shaking voice she confesses her deepest secret.

---------------------------------------------------------------------

I know this isn't the best piece of writing in the world, it probably won't change the world. But I wanted to get a point acoss; the smallest act can save a life. For those of you on facebook you may have noticed a recent rise in profile pictures being changed to cartoon characters. If you paid attention you saw that those who changed their picture also posted a status explaining that it is to raise awareness for child abuse. As you know, domestic violence is a cause that is extremely important to me. I changed my picture and unexpectedly faced criticism for it. I was told that I was "obnoxious" and doing nothing to help anyone. I was told that this act was deemening and that reducing child abuse to a cartoon picture was a disgusting act. I see things differently though. I see the cartoons as a way of symbolizing innocence and a loss of innocence. The poor children who face abuse everyday probably don't have a favorite cartoon...But we're reaching out to them! This was an act to spread awareness, an act to show someone that we care. I agree with the naysayers that a small change on facebook is not the most effective strategy in the world, but it is a start. It made every person, even those against it, stop and think about those who are abused. It shows those who are abused the someone cares. It plants a seed in the minds of the masses that maybe they should get involved-do more, go volunteer, donate their time or money. You never know who may noticed your small acts and gestures. You never know how much a smile, kind word or the simple act of posting a status declaring your support against child abuse, could mean to someone. Do anything you can do to help people. The smallest things can add up. A small facebook message could turn into an event, a meeting, a revolution.