Every morning ever since 9/11 I wake up and turn on the news hoping that the world is still in order. Well, this morning it isn't. There has been a HUGE earthquake off the coast of Japan with a tsunami warning in more than 20 countries, including the United States. I am trying to hold it together here and not freak out.
One of my flaws is that I am too empathetic, so I get caught up in the horror and sorrow from disasters. The videos out of Japan are horrific and my heart goes out to the Japanese people as they are trying to recover from their own tsunami. Meanwhile I am feeling helpless waiting for the tsunami to hit other locations.
There is news coverage of the warnings in Hawaii. The tsunami is expected to hit there at 8 AM EST, or 3 AM local time. I am hoping they pull through this relatively unscathed. The good news is that Hawaii is relatively mountainous, so hopefully everyone will be able to get to safely. I hate to think what would happen here in Florida if we got hit by a tsunami because we do not have any elevation to evacuate to....we would be toast.
So, here I sit, and wait for the impending devastation that is coming to many countries and I wonder how this shift in news coverage will hurt Libya as their people are massacred without our attention. I feel as if this wonderful world we live in is coming apart at the seam and wonder where the next big earthquake will hit and whether the financial markets are stable enough to take the hit of major disasters right now.
Only time will tell. Meanwhile, I will be praying and wishing well to everyone that this disaster affects.
I feel like it is coming apart too. It is hard to stay focused and upbeat, isn't it?
ReplyDeleteI get a bit too empathetic too. But I don't think it's bad to shed tears for others---I believe we are heard! Joining you in prayer-
ReplyDeleteEmpathy is NOT A FLAW! It's an amazing strength!
ReplyDeleteI have a friend in okinawa, and I was scared to tears for her this morning until I heard she was ok.
I'm trying to ignore the fact we're 1 year, 9 month, 9 days from Dec 12, 2012...but these continued issues are starting to press on me.
Maybe it's time to move to a more compassionate, empathetic, peaceful us??
The Survival Mama
It is hard to stay positive sometimes when all around seems to be falling apart...I believe these things are allowed to happen so that we can be aware that there are others in our small world to which we need to be aware...Survival Mama is correct...it is a strength. Otherwise, we would be blobs floating in a sea of apathy..
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing your thoughts..joining you in prayer.
theeclecticnoni@gmail.com
I know that being empathetic make me a great mother, but I could never be a rescue worker, nurse or counseler. I would get so wrapped up in what the people are going through that I could not function. I know that having some empathy is great, but having to a point where you cannot separate yourself from it is a flaw. The good news is that I recognize this weakness in myself and can accomodate it.
ReplyDeletePraying here as well. I remember when the Tsunami hit on the day after Christmas and I watched it, but was so wrapped up in the holiday that it didn't register... I'm sure I wasn't the only one... my family arrived later that day and my mom says, "Was it my imagination or did I see on the news this morning..." and then it sort of hit...
ReplyDelete