So much has already been said about the triple disasters in Japan, one wonders if there is anything left to say.
From 9/11 to the latest earthquake, tsunami and radiation fallout, we may be getting a bit battle weary — if not weary, perhaps a little slow to react. Japan is not a Third World country nor is New Zealand so there have not been as many calls for humanitarian aid. Help will come just as surely as spring. Once organized Canadians have an immense capacity for giving. We have become a global community and right now our neighbours need help. BC Liquor stores are accepting donations as is Island Savings. People wishing to donate should ensure they are giving to a legitimate charity as scammers take advantage of situations like this.
The proportions of the disasters are on such a large scale that it is almost surreal. It doesn’t go away once the television set is turned off or the Internet is shut off for the night, it’s a “reality” show of the worst kind because it is tragically real.
What all this brings us to is to recognize and appreciate what we have right now. Not what we want, or wish to acquire, but the reality of our own lives and the people in it. It’s not unlike the nuclear scare many dealt with in the early 1960s. We cannot do much about natural occurrences, but we can do something about the way we deal with our own lives. It’s makes us think of what we would do in similar circumstances but mostly it makes us realize how fragile our lives are and how precious. Some petty issues are just not worth worrying about. It’s about fully living the life we have and appreciating everything.