He thought it would be a typical community event with kids asking fun questions—until he met Marley.
She sat quietly, notepad in hand, and asked Officer Reyes a question that stopped him cold:
“Why do people hurt each other even when they don’t want to?”
It wasn’t curiosity—it was personal. Reyes gave her an honest answer: pain often causes more pain, even when unintentional. And sometimes, people choose to hurt others because they don’t know how to cope.
Later that day, Reyes investigated a vandalism case with the message “Why don’t you see me?” Spray-painted on a wall. He recognized the posture of the fleeing teen—Ethan, someone Marley had clearly known. When they found him, Reyes chose compassion over punishment.
Ethan began therapy, helped fix what he’d damaged, and even joined a kindness initiative Marley had inspired at school. Her paper, “Breaking the Chain,” quoted Reyes:
“Every act of kindness matters.”
Marley’s question didn’t just challenge Officer Reyes—it changed him.
Because real justice isn’t just about law and order.
It’s about healing. It’s about being seen.
And it starts with one brave question. 💙
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