I sat down this afternoon as my baby slept peacefully in her bed, in our centrally heated/air conditioned home, I sat down on a comfy couch, and turned on our cable television to watch Fox news. The images that appeared before my eyes were shocking to me, who's only traveled outside of the US to metropolitan cities in Europe, and a beautiful tourist city in Mexico.
I watched intently as the news continued coverage of the devastation in Haiti, after a 7.0 earthquake hit. The country is in ruin, with millions homeless, needing aid. Survivors describe hearing cries from beneath rubble as you walk the streets, while piles of the bodies of the deceased tower above them. It is estimated that 1/3 of the country's 9 million people will be needing medical aid, and the Red Cross has just run out of medical supplies. Schools with children, nursing homes with elderly, hospitals with sick, and even the prisons with inmates (who are now running free) all collapsed. It is utterly dire.
I sit here, living in conditions, that a child there may dream of as the life of a princess. I am not only disturbed by the images I see because my heart aches for them, but more than anything because of my lack of gratitude for what the Lord has given me. I have been whining the last week because I'm trying to get my child to sleep through the night, and it's a challenging task. Challenging? May I rejoice every time I hear my child roll over in the night and beckon, "Mommy," because I have the opportunity to cuddle with her and comfort her once again! There are countless mothers in Haiti right now longing to hear their children's voices call their name once more, or hold them in their arms, or to comfort them as they suffer from fatal wounds.
I am perplexed with the question, "Why me, God?" Why am I not living in a third world country? Why have I been given so much? Why do I still find the tiniest things to complain about? I am blessed beyond belief and must recognize it. May we all find the joy in whatever "challenges" we face in our daily lives and recognize how immensely blessed we are. And may God bring His comfort and solace to this nation that currently lives in fear, chaos, and devastation.
4 comments:
May we all remember just how fortunate we are to be in a first-world country. Thank you for the (much-needed, to be honest) reminder.
Applejacs, your insite is beautiful. This should serve as a call to action for us all. I firmly believe that we Catholic can learn much from the mormons who give 1 or 2 years of their life to doing mission work. There are so many people in our spiritual family who need our love and help. If everyone gave just one year of their life think how things could be differnent. Quite honestly I think it might change us more than them.
AppleJacs I know exactly how you feel. For awhile last year I kept complaining that I hated our floors and how we were the only people on the block who couldn't afford to have upgraded flooring...and then one day I froze mid-stride and realized that I am so blessed at all to even have floors!!!! How many people in this world live in homes wit dirt floors?? I may not like our vinyl/carpet situation, and it's not going to change anytime soon, but I am constantly trying to thank God for the blessing that it is, and realize it is how he wants me to live at the present moment.
Thank you for this reminder!
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