--clean water from the tap
--a roof
--an abundance of food on the shelves
--calm
--safety.
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Glaringly aware of the near-impossibility of wrapping my brain around the scale of devastation in Japan. Consider this photo:
Besides my being nearly completely unable to conceive of a massive ship perched on a breakwater, there is the question of how exactly does a city/country cope with this amount of chaos? And then there is the fact that this photo of a single thing is but a fraction of the disaster.
This is a brutal reminder of our vulnerability, as residents of the planet. Nature is without mercy, and cannot know mercy. I stand in awe.
I've been feeling the same way, T. Exactly. Grateful for my current well-being, horrified for the people of Japan, and completely overwhelmed at the mere thought of what the "clean up" is going to look like. And they keep getting serious aftershocks, which will no doubt go on for some time.
ReplyDeleteWe are but specks in the universe.
It stunned me more than anything before it...we are so fragile.
ReplyDeleteThere is a very long list of basic details to be grateful for, things that are often taken for granted, especially in America. Before Katrina, I mentally knew that we were responsible for providing food, clothing and shelter for ourselves, but making the assumption that I could always do that, the assumption that I would be living in good health, in a functioning environment, is what I took for granted. People yearn for calm and safety, but must be capable of withstanding chaos. That picture you posted is completely mind-boggling. thanks, sp
ReplyDeleteThe gratitudes are good to dwell on.
ReplyDeleteIt's also good to remind ourselves how resilient we are as humans. All hands will be put to the mill, and the appalling mess cleaned up probably within quite a short time. Grieving for the dead, however, will not be dealt with so quickly. I fear the numbers will rise hugely.
ReplyDeleteI especially like what you say about nature and mercy.
ReplyDeleteI am thankful everyday for my many blessings. It could all be taken away in a heartbeat........
ReplyDeleteWhat has been missing in all of the news reports (save a very few) is the culture of the Japanese people. Respect is uppermost. No looting, no bad behaviour. This nation is a shining beacon in how to COPE.
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