Animal, vegetable or mineral?
At what point do we reach the bottom of our humanity?
The point where there is nothing left and we are reduced to animals left with nothing more than the instict to survive?
Why does tragedy bring out the best in some and the worst in others?
On one hand I wish I could begin to comprehend that state...the base level of existence that shows who we really are and what we are truly made of.
But on the other, I cry and pray that I am never forced to find out.
America...we are finally being brought to our knees.
We are beginning to be hit in our soft, pudgy middles and are finding that we are not in the shape that we thought we were.
We pound our fists on some paraphrase of the Constitution and rail on and on about our "God-given rights" to drive that gas-guzzling SUV with the V-8 engine if we damn well please, but are suddenly thinking that a Prius doesn't sound so bad once we realize that it takes half a week's paycheck just to make it to work and back.
The basic "hardships" that others around the world have lived with for years, we have no compartment for.
And yet we all have an opinion to state or a judgement to make.
Yes, maybe they were warned....logistically, spiritually and every other way.
Maybe this is the wrath of God on a sinful city, or maybe there was faulty planning in construction of the city or maybe it was just a big fucking hurricane that no one could have done a damn thing about.
And maybe the rescue efforts have not been as extensive because of the race and social class of the people needing the most help or maybe the activists making those accusations wouldn't care as much if it was a bunch of rich, white people in Florida who were the ones not getting the help that they needed or maybe everyone who is not being directly affected just wants to get their two cents in because it makes them feel like a more worthwhile human being.
But regardless of any of that, the point is....people need help.
Babies are crying, the sick are dying and people are lying in unimaginable filth.
Talking and complaining about why things now are the way that they are, is not getting these people their lives back any sooner.
God, help us suck it up. Make us stronger and wiser. Change our hearts and our minds.
Give us compassion and empathy without the arrogance that we have any comprehension what these people are actually going through.
Turn our eyes, our thoughts and our actions away from our own selfish needs and desires, and draw them to You and those in need around us.
If we are finally being forced to our knees, help us to at least make good use of our time there.
The point where there is nothing left and we are reduced to animals left with nothing more than the instict to survive?
Why does tragedy bring out the best in some and the worst in others?
On one hand I wish I could begin to comprehend that state...the base level of existence that shows who we really are and what we are truly made of.
But on the other, I cry and pray that I am never forced to find out.
America...we are finally being brought to our knees.
We are beginning to be hit in our soft, pudgy middles and are finding that we are not in the shape that we thought we were.
We pound our fists on some paraphrase of the Constitution and rail on and on about our "God-given rights" to drive that gas-guzzling SUV with the V-8 engine if we damn well please, but are suddenly thinking that a Prius doesn't sound so bad once we realize that it takes half a week's paycheck just to make it to work and back.
The basic "hardships" that others around the world have lived with for years, we have no compartment for.
And yet we all have an opinion to state or a judgement to make.
Yes, maybe they were warned....logistically, spiritually and every other way.
Maybe this is the wrath of God on a sinful city, or maybe there was faulty planning in construction of the city or maybe it was just a big fucking hurricane that no one could have done a damn thing about.
And maybe the rescue efforts have not been as extensive because of the race and social class of the people needing the most help or maybe the activists making those accusations wouldn't care as much if it was a bunch of rich, white people in Florida who were the ones not getting the help that they needed or maybe everyone who is not being directly affected just wants to get their two cents in because it makes them feel like a more worthwhile human being.
But regardless of any of that, the point is....people need help.
Babies are crying, the sick are dying and people are lying in unimaginable filth.
Talking and complaining about why things now are the way that they are, is not getting these people their lives back any sooner.
God, help us suck it up. Make us stronger and wiser. Change our hearts and our minds.
Give us compassion and empathy without the arrogance that we have any comprehension what these people are actually going through.
Turn our eyes, our thoughts and our actions away from our own selfish needs and desires, and draw them to You and those in need around us.
If we are finally being forced to our knees, help us to at least make good use of our time there.
posted by Bex5x5 at 9/05/2005 12:33:00 AM
2 Comments:
this post was incredibly well written. and you're right on. which in this case is more important... but you should know that your finely crafted words drove the point home.
Thank you very much. Your encouragement is always appreciated.
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