I have not allowed myself to watch too much TV lately. It is just too hard to watch and feel helpless. I learned during the days and weeks and months after 911 that too much TV coverage meant lots of anxiety and sadness. Also, I didn't get a lot done during that time. I know that I can't let the tragedy in Haiti take over my thoughts and life, so I am limiting my exposure--you know, the whole head in the sand thing.
I did see a clip of vacationers on a cruise docking nearby and, well, vacationing. That made me sick. I get disgusted that the world just seems to be moving on--people are enjoying cruises, people are just going about their lives when this horrible catastrophe is happening.
I have kept the details from the kids, but a few days after the earthquake, Andrew got up early and made himself breakfast and turned the TV on. Apparently he saw and heard enough to break his heart. We talked that morning and I assumed he was handling it alright. That night he had a hard time going to sleep. He has had a hard time since.
Last night as we were making some different sleeping arrangements, Bev asked the question. The one I don't have an answer to. The one I struggle with myself. "Why didn't Heavenly Father stop it?" Andrew, Bev and I started talking. We did some crying too. I wanted to say the things that would help them. I told them how badly I want to help, how hard it is to feel powerless to fix or help. We talked about what we can do. We made a donation. We can pray. And then I said it--the thing that had so disgusted me about what I saw people doing--we have to move on. I told them that they have to get up and go to school and learn and grow and develop skills that they can use to make the world a better place. We also decided that we have to do something tangible to help. I had researched organizations over the weekend and decided to support the American Red Cross. We love the Church Humanitarian Center. We will be doing some projects for them.
I saw this again today and this time it took on a different meaning.
P.S. When I do watch, it's CNN--I mean Sanjay Gupta and Anderson Cooper can deliver the news!
1 comment:
I learned many, many years ago that God can't just step in and make all the bad things that happen go away. That wasn't the plan that was chosen. Saying that however doesn't change the fact that we always wish he would. It is a good thing to strive for a perfect world -- one little thing at a time. It seems to me that is what you are trying to do yourself and teaching your children to do also. Keep it up.
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