every so often
they flood us with statistics
38,000 a year
150 a day.
1 every 15 minutes.
faceless numbers
do we forget that
she had friends
and a family
and a future
or that he had talent
and a lover
and a career?
do we forget
she once had a bedtime
before 8:00
and slept in pink
princess-themed sheets
or
how he used to hold
his teddy bear
and couldn't fall asleep
without a nightlight?
do we forget
those who were left behind
forever left wondering
why?
what could i have done?
could i have seen the signs?
when was the last time?
i said, "i love you.
and not just who you are.
who you have been.
and who you will be"?
do we forget
that the "will be"
that haunts every mothers prayers
are now just two empty words?
do we lose identities
in these
38,000
150
1/15?
maybe what we need
isn't numbers
math
arithmetic
what we need
is human empathy