Sad and Truly Blessed

I can't watch the news anymore. It's unbearably sad. People: the elderly, the newborn, the ill and handicapped - and the well and whole - dying horrible deaths. I can't imagine holding my baby and watching it die and being unable to do anything.

And then there are the terminally stupid - who the heck is shooting at the rescue and supply helicopters? How can you possibly think that's a good idea? How many more people have died unnecessarily because YOU wouldn't let the pilots land? Where is your brain?

Those of us who are outside the area are burdened with a need to do something, and unable to feel like we're doing anything. We give blood, we give money, but nothing is helping this happen fast enough.

The only positive thing to come from this is a recognition of the blessings we have - those of us who are outside of this tragedy. We have homes, healthy children, loving pets, food, water, toilets. Life for us is normal. Except for the steadily increasing gas prices, for us life goes on like always.

I am blessed. I look outside of my lovely home at my flowers, my garden, my trees. I see my daughter and my dog run and play, untouched by tragedy that would scar them forever.

How do you forget? How will these people, the children especially, ever forget. I know that we humans as a race are terrifically resilient. Thank God for that.

I hope I never take the abundance in my life for granted. It's easy to forget the things we accept as our right until they're gone.

My thoughts and prayers are with the victims of Katrina. I hope and pray that the worst problems - those of rescuing the living - are resolved soon.