Hadi Madhubuti

Study the faces of children that look like you. Walk your streets, count the smiles and bright eyes, and make a mental note of their ages. At what age do our children cease to smile naturally, smile full-teeth, uninhibited, expecting full life? At what age will memory of lost friends, and lost relatives, deaden their eyes? Where does childhood stop in much of our community? At seven,eight? How many killings, rapes, beatings, verbal and mental abuse, hustles, get over programs, drug infestations, drive-by shootings/drive-by leaders must they witness before their eyes dry up for good and their only thought is: "Will I make it to the age of twenty-five?" When the life in the eyes of our children do not gleam brightly with future and hope, we cease being nurturers and become repairers of broken spirits and stolen souls. This is the state we are now in and too often it is too late.