Every child should have a caring adult in their lives. And

Hear the words of Joe Manchin: “Every child should have a caring adult in their lives. And that’s not always a biological parent or family member. It may be a friend or neighbor. Often times it is a teacher.” These are not idle musings, but truths spoken from the well of human experience. For no soul is born complete, no spirit matures in solitude. Each child is a seed, fragile and filled with possibility, and it is the touch of a guiding hand — the warmth of a caring adult — that allows it to grow into strength and beauty. Without such care, the seed may wither; with it, it may rise to bear fruit for the generations.

In the ancient world, this truth was revered. The Spartans entrusted their sons to mentors who shaped not only their bodies but their character. In Rome, young men learned not solely from fathers, but from philosophers and elders who acted as moral guardians. In the East, disciples sat at the feet of masters, sometimes closer than to their own kin. Across every culture, the pattern was the same: parenthood may give life, but it takes the broader community to raise that life into greatness.

History is filled with stories that testify to this. Consider the young Helen Keller, trapped in silence and darkness, her own family powerless to reach her. It was Anne Sullivan, her teacher, who became the caring adult that unlocked her spirit. Sullivan was not her parent, nor her kin, yet through patience and love, she gave Helen the gift of language and the fire of purpose. Without that presence, Keller might have remained isolated; with it, she became a voice of hope to the world. This is the power of a caring adult beyond blood.

Manchin’s words also remind us that love is not bound by the walls of one’s family. There are neighbors who guide, friends who protect, elders who counsel, and teachers who nurture when others cannot. The role of the caring adult is not about title, but about presence — a steady voice, a watchful eye, a heart that says, “You matter.” In this, the smallest gestures can carry eternal weight: a word of encouragement, a shield against cruelty, a hand extended in trust.

Yet how many children walk the earth without such a presence? How many are left to wander in loneliness, their gifts unseen? The ancients warned that a society that neglects its youth plants the seeds of its own ruin. To fail a child is to fail the future. But to provide even one caring adult is to change the course of destiny. One guide can be the difference between despair and triumph, between silence and song.

The lesson is thus: do not underestimate the power of your role in the life of the young. You may not be their parent, but you can be their guide. You may not be their blood, but you can be their anchor. Every soul you uplift becomes a living testimony to your care. And though the child may not remember every word you speak, they will never forget the warmth of being seen, the strength of being believed in.

Practical action stands before us: be attentive to the children around you, whether in your home, your neighborhood, or your classroom. Speak encouragement. Offer patience. Be present. If you are a teacher, know the sacred weight of your calling — you may be the only light in a child’s world. If you are a neighbor or a friend, do not shrink from the chance to guide. For in every caring act, you become the adult that Manchin describes, the one who gives roots and wings.

So let these words be carried into your heart: “Every child should have a caring adult in their lives.” This is not a suggestion, but a command written by the wisdom of ages. Run to fulfill it. For in giving the gift of care, you shape not only the child, but the destiny of humanity itself. And what greater calling can there be?