It hurts for anyone who feels that they must live in the shadow of who they truly are
It hurts for those who are never heard or seen
It hurts for those who only see what they want to see
It hurts for everyone who’s bravery was extinguished
It hurts for those made to feel less than by institutions or the inappropriate behaviors of others
It hurts for anyone afraid to share something that they are proud of
It hurts for everyone left out, behind, or excluded
It hurts for everyone whose life has been threatened
It hurts for those who accept things because that is just the way things are
It hurts for anyone denied an opportunity for betterment because of labels or appearances
It hurts for anyone who has experienced great risk or loss for an unrealized cause
It hurts for people motivated by false fears and driven to protect ideology
It hurts for those who can not say, “I don’t know” or are not okay with not knowing
It hurts for anyone objectified or demoralized
It hurts for anyone incapable of humanizing all earthly sisters and brothers
It hurts for those who function in absolutes
It hurts for anyone who has experienced loss through civil unrest
It hurts for those unable to feel and process the moment they are in
It hurts for those attempting to be seen and heard, yet are pushed back, pacified, or silenced
It hurts for those unable to see beyond their own pain to understand another’s
It hurts for those who can not breathe
It hurts for those afraid to gather peacefully
It hurts for those who always need to be in control
It hurts for those dwelling in hatred, anger, or sorrow
It hurts for those who exercise emotional manipulation and those who are not aware it is happening
It hurts for those who are always comparing
It hurts for those traveling an impossibly righteous path
It hurts for those who believe what they read, see, or are told without question
It hurts for those believing a purpose to be greater than the lives in their charge
It hurts for someone who can have more, but has yet to receive positive encouragement
It hurts for those unable to see that there are many shades of truth
It hurts for those that refuse to see the beauty that surrounds them
It hurts for those who won’t seek objective counsel or ask for help when they need it
It hurts for those harmed or killed while in the care and service of their public servant protector
It hurts for those that forsake present reality for an imagined future to the detriment of others
It hurts for those who compel others through intimidation and for those who succumb
It hurts for those who betray their purpose
It hurts for those who were not supported in their dreams or have not supported the dreams of others
It hurts for those who rationalize inhumane or dehumanizing behavior
It hurts for those who refuse to acknowledge injustice at the expense of their comfort
It hurts for those who live in fear
It hurts for those driven by what others think
It hurts for anyone that can not see a way out
It hurts for those unable to recognize when someone else is giving it their all
It hurts for those who do not recognize a false dichotomy and for those who offer it
It hurts for those who choose loyalty or preservation over compassion
It hurts for anyone who doesn’t exercise their creativity
It hurts for those longing for acceptance or do not know that they are worthy
It hurts for those who don’t speak up when they know they should
It hurts for those who choose exclusion over inclusion
It hurts for those who do not share gratitude with others
It hurts for those who view domination or power over as strength
It hurts for those who only see through their window
It hurts for those who feel like they must always be on their game
It hurts for those who forego honestly to avoid discomfort
It hurts for those who use divine forgiveness as a substitute for accountability
It hurts for anyone neglected as the result of an unfavorable cost/benefit analysis
It hurts for anyone refusing to stand for another who can not stand for themselves
It hurts to see the destruction of lives and livelihoods caught up in a movement
It hurts for anyone who is unable to make plans because others are hedging bets before committing
It hurts for anyone repeatedly paying for past transgressions by committing new ones
It hurts for those who don’t seek out the intention of a message
It hurts for those who think it okay to financially gain from a human cost
It hurts for those who are pitted against one another
It hurts for those who don’t understand that vulnerability is required of the greatest leaders
It hurts for anyone unaware of their harm to others by not holding a basic scientific understanding of life
It hurts for anyone lessening life through addiction, be it chemical, digital, or other
It hurts for those who use theology to harm others or exclaim THEIR belief to be absolute
It hurts for anyone inhibited by bureaucracy
It hurts for anyone who doesn’t feel purpose
It hurts for anyone who finds themselves solely looking out for their own
If hurts for anyone overwhelmed by trying to fill a need greater than the extent of their resources
It hurts for anyone who does not have the courage to stand for equal, civil, and human rights for all

My heart hurts for all of us

-C. Chee