Everyone adores children; they are the family's angels and are often considered treasures by their parents. They are always being looked after and well cared for with all the love and affection the whole family could provide. That is the usual scenario in a typical household where there are enough resources to raise a child but have we ever wondered what life is like for those born and raised in the streets' harsh environment?
It is not an unusual scenario for regular people, especially commuters, to see children wandering on the streets with their ragged and humble clothing. These children usually go around begging and asking everyone for charity and are often seen as nuisances by the many. Pondering on this, did these children lose their "angel" image as a child for being born in such status? The eyes of these street children see the world differently than that of an average child. They usually perceive the world as a harsh place where people could take advantage of them and that everything that will be put into their mouth must come from hard work. However, the world must remember that society shaped them into this sort of thinking.
David Castells Angelet's book, Gràcies leads its readers to a story of a street orphan named Mary who was sexually abused at a very young age. She was raised on the streets and was forced to take on the hard side of the world before realizing how to have fun as a child. The protagonist, Laila, who took her in, made a lot of effort so Mary could get over her traumatic experiences and lead a happy life, which was never an easy thing to do. Tending for a traumatized child who had spent her life in abuse and hardship takes a lot of time. The story reflects how the world could be cruel to a child and how difficult it is for them to heal from the wounds the society has inflicted.
No matter where a child is born and raised, some things have to remain the same such as how vulnerable these beings could be. They should see the world as a place where they can freely spend their childhood without fear of abuse and nightmares in their sleep. And soon, be adults with no chains of trauma holding them back from being the best version of themselves.
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