We all need it. It’s easy to get lost without it and I've had a big dose of it this past week. I can’t think of anything to write – anything worthy that is given tragedies abroad.
Fear
Maybe I am struck with fear. It started with waking to the light vibrations of my cell on the nightstand. My sister calling at 5:30 am did not mean anything good. And the fear in her voice calling to alert me to the tsunami warning, knowing we would be asleep and my family caught off-guard. We were in no danger but my sister’s fear was real and it was contagious. And people here in California died because of what happened over there. People who didn't heed the warnings, didn't pay attention to the fear.
I live in earthquake country. Fear of a big earthquake is very real. Maybe that’s why I spent over $500 on groceries this weekend. Suddenly jolted. Jolted knowing this could happen to me, to us, to my family. Here. Anytime. I need to be prepared. This is something I can control in a world full of fears.
Fear of nuclear fallout heading my way. Unfounded fear circulating, viral. Fear of not knowing the true threat in the event of a full nuclear meltdown.
Ignorance
I am crushed by the ignorance. The jokes. It is not funny. People lost their lives. Mothers, fathers, sons and daughters, babies. Especially the little ones. Real people. People with families. People who were loved and now gone.
And the references to Pearl Harbor. And the comments on Facebook. How can people be so heartless? I think they have never known loss, deep, profound loss. We need compassion not ignorance.
Sacrifice
How many sacrifices were made during the disaster? How many are still being made? The "Faceless 50" staying behind, frantically trying to keep things under control. Knowing the risks and and accepting their fates.
All this while knowing the world is still turning. It provides quite the perspective.
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