Sometimes we get so caught up in the day to day that we forget how blessed we truly are. Usually when tragedy strikes within our own lives or the lives of others our eyes are opened. Is this the reason that there is suffering in the world? To ground us, to bring us closer to those around us, to instill within us gratitude and humility....I really don't know, but lately this is something I have been faced with.
It's hard for me to comprehend what is going on in Haiti right now, the aftermath of a tragic earthquake that's consumed hundreds of thousands of living souls. It's like there's a giant black cloud of suffering hovering over their country right now. A burden so deep, a weight so heavy, the whole world is being drawn in. Yet through this drawing, this coming together, a new spirit is emerging. It's like a new hope bubbling forth from the hearts of a people that have suffered more that any of us will probably ever know. Not only are the people of Haiti coming together sharing and serving one another out of necessity, but it seems that their hope is being renewed. Did anyone else see the parade of people dancing and singing in the streets? This is the beauty of the human spirit. This is what we need to latch on to, to take in and share with all those around us.
Joy can be found in sadness. Love can be shared and compassion spring forth when tragedy strikes. Through the tears that I cry as I visualize the lost children, the grieving mothers, and the shattered families, I reach down into my soul. I stretch my hand past my self-centeredness, my material desires, and all that keeps my focus on myself, and I grasp hold of that one pivotal piece of who I am, what God has placed inside all of us. This is my compassion, my unconditional love for my fellow man, no matter who they are or how far they are from me and my life, I will weep for them. I will pray for them and I will do all within my means to help them.
I will also solemnly thank my Creator for the silent reminder of just how good my life is...How blessed I am...How grateful I am to be alive...
Please pray for the survivors of this terrible disaster, that they will not only have their immediate medical and material needs met, but that they will have hope.
Please consider donating to a worth charitable cause that is on the ground in Haiti like Doctors Without Borders
God bless you all, dear friends.