Rally Stop Olympia, Washington

As we traveled through the tour I began to realize on this day that we had a lot of children in the line up, more than we have in the last few years, you cannot help to feel somewhat sadden. This would be a night time event, it was a long day already but all well worth it. So we pull up to this beautiful park, you could almost imagine the children who play there....it was the perfect place. They had candles lit and sitting in a long row circling the waters edge, it was a peaceful setting. Their were to many families in attendance and media running around to capture each moment and story.

As I walked through the large crowd and being welcomed, I would pass people doing interviews or talking in a group, most words were to familiar to me, like "I just want my child home, we miss her, someone knows something, call the hotline and the list goes on and on". You see when you are in the world of suffering a missing loved one you know the lingo, the words you need to get out there and unfortunately this branding becomes a part of your life, your thoughts, who you are; a person in constant search for the truth.

A missing child has no age in the mind of those who gave life, a mother will always be a mother and recall that day she gave life, my heart truly aches for those who gave life. Fathers and relatives stay in a broken state to be there for all the mothers, with an unspoken word knowing deep down that being a mother is more than they will ever experience, but it never lessons their pain either. A missing child leaves so many with a ton of memories but yet the craving for more and when cut short it holds a sharpness that can reach heights and depths of overwhelming measure.

Families stood up to tell their stories, balloons were released, hugs were exchanged, but for me I stand back and know it will never be enough until that child is found. I join many around the country daily in that unknown fate of a missing person, today I think it hit harder than most days. I silently pray for a miracle and believing it will happen, we have to have faith in something bigger than ourselves.

We stayed later than planned but I enjoyed seeing our families and meeting news ones, all holding out for that moment to get to tell their story, they just need to be heard, not much to ask for; the world sometime forgets that part. Leaving,  I heard some laughter, as I give my departing hugs I offer some words of encouragement, and then there comes that look I speak about often...that look that climbs in your heart and shakes it hard enough to rock your soul, it hurts and aches for days later.

As we pull out I wonder how many truly take for granted they have not been forced into this world, this membership where you pay your dues one moment at a time.

Monica Caison