Unwritten Agreement

We have this unwritten agreement,

us members of humanity.

When the toddler at the coffee shop runs round the corner,

when her mom, at the register, looks up in panic,

we, the adults in the room, will pledge,

with quick smiles and silent head nods, to keep watch.

We will lean out of our seats.

We will put down our phones.

We will stand at the ready

to scoop up,

to offer words of comfort,

to make silly faces,

to keep an eye on the door.

And we will do this,

because we cannot ignore the instinct to care.

We will do this,

because we cannot ignore the child right in front of us.

We will do this,

because love always includes the least of these.

Poem by Rev. Sarah A. Speed | A Sanctified Art LLC | sanctifiedart.org

Artwork by Nicolette Faison, "Fuera ICE15" | A Sanctified Art LLC | sanctifiedart.org