Wednesday, January 27, 2010

Cruisin' to the shores of...Haiti?

Good morning,

One thing on the ol' noggin this morning, as I worked out at the gym and tried to stay in a positive frame of mind, considering what the blogging would be about today. I think it's important to think about the blog when I'm also doing something else - that way, you don't go dry in your topic choice, but write about what hoepfully the bulk of people might be thinking about. So, what's on my mind:

Haiti. Cruise ships are pulling up to the shores of Haiti, about 200 miles from Port-au-Prince, where more than 150,000 people (maybe more) have lost their lives; many still crushed under buildings. People from these ships are sun-bathing and relaxing, having a break from their normal lives. They have paid good money for their vacation. Many Haitians say "Let them come; without them, we don't eat tonight." What is right? It seems appalling to sunbathe near such tragedy. So, I think what I would do is: get off the ship and decide to get to Port-au-Prince and help out. Hold a baby, move some rubble, whatever. A working vacation - maybe the most meaningful "break" I've ever had. But would I judge someone who didn't choose this? No. Perhaps many of those sunbathers have suffered a hard year themselves - divorce, death, marginalization in it's many hurtful shapes - who knows. Life is strange and tragedy takes many forms - some brutal, like an earthquake, and some very subtle, like heartbreak. Who is to judge. What would you do? And would you judge someone who was relaxing that close to horrific tragedy?

1 comment:

  1. Tough call. Not sure what I would do. Doesn't seem right to have "paradise next to tradedy.I would say no one can judge since no one can know what others are dealing with.

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