08/12/2025
HE WALKED INTO THE CROWD ALONEâAND CHANGED EVERYTHING WITH ONE PRAYER
I swear, I didnât think he understood what was going on. Heâs only seven. Still forgets to brush his teeth. Still thinks fruit snacks count as dinner.
But when the protests started in our neighborhoodâsirens wailing, voices rising, cardboard signs mixing with raw frustrationâmy son, Zayden, kept watching through the screen door like something was pulling him outside.
âMom,â he said. âI need to do something. God told me.â
I laughed at first. Nervous, confused. Weâre not super religious. We go to church sometimes, but nothing serious. Still, he grabbed his favorite red hoodie, kissed me on the arm, and said, âI have a mission.â
He disappeared down the block before I could stop him.
By the time I caught up, he was already standing between the line of police and the crowdâthis tiny, fragile thing in the middle of shouting and tension. And then⌠he dropped to his knees.
He prayed.
Out loud. For peace. For understanding. For everyone to go home safe. For the officers. For the people. For âgrown-ups to stop yelling and start listening.â
The street went quiet. One officer took a knee next to him. Then another. Then someone from the crowd joined too. Someone recorded it. The video blew up before we even got back home.
He didnât say a word when I tucked him in that night. Just smiled like he knew something the rest of us didnât.
Now reporters are calling. Strangers want to âinterview the boy on a mission.â But Zayden just keeps asking one question:
âDid it work, Mom? Did I fix it?â
And I donât know what to tell him.
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