Seven Days

In stark contrast to my visit to the municipal palace, I visited an orphanage last week.  I met a little girl we'll call L.  She is just over a year old, has huge brown eyes and spunky little pigtails.  Like in so many places around the world, including Canada, many parents face extreme hardship and feel forced to leave their children.  It is a sad reality, and I don't think anyone can, or should, pass judgement.  The day I visited was little L's third day at the orphanage.  She was crying inconsolably.  The nurse explained that babies her age usually cry for their mothers for seven days before they "forget" and settle into the routine.  I held her and she stopped crying; but inevitably, I had to put her down and leave.  I will be going there at least once a week for a year, so it's not like I just dropped in for a one-time photo op...but still...I felt like I was perpetuating the cycle of abandonment.  This day made me realize why we often ignore painful societal issues - it's hard to find balance.  Doing too little (like treating orphanages like one day drop-in centres where we can snap cool pictures to post on our Facebook wall) is harmful, self-indulgent, and only makes things worse; but then again, not everyone can adopt, or volunteer for a year.  Finding that spot on the spectrum that is truly helpful, and feasible, is difficult; so we just stick our heads in the sand - where we can't hear the cries.