Wednesday, January 13, 2010

WHY?


Nature can be so beautiful and I can understand why the ancient people looked for signs in the sky. On a cold wintry morning the sunrise fills the sky with brillant colours. Today we are learning about the cruelty of nature as a violent earthquake hits the poor struggling country of Haiti. "Within a minute of the quake. . . . soil, dust and smoke rose up over the city, a blanket that completely covered the city and obscured it for about 12 minutes." "more houses where destroyed than were standing" - The Van. Sun.
We live in a cruel world and there are no answers to our question "why" terrible things happen to people who are already suffering. Some may blame God and then refuse to look at some of the blame that we ourselves should take responsibility for. We will be sending immediate aid but even that seems like so little. We will pray for those who have survived and for those who will go to help.
Visiting in the Nursing Home can be very depressing, seeing so many old people suffering, the smells are sickly and the nurse tells me how hard it is to work the night shift. It takes very special people to be able to do that job and I think of our Leah and our Michael John and Shawna. Caring for the sick of body or mind or spirit is very draining. Carol faces a tough role as counselor to those whose lives are in a mess and are very unwilling to change.
I think again how no earthly human being can meet our emotional needs. We long for compassion and understanding that is beyond the power of another to give. If we want our world to change it seems that it must begin in the hearts of each one of us. Human nature can so easily be influenced to justify our bad behavior whether it is unforgiving, greed or grasping for power and the need to be right.
I turn again to prayer believing that Someone is listening and even sending angels earthly or heavenly beings to help us in our desperate hour of pain and suffering. I am greeted with such affection when I go visiting that it is very humbling. I share my news of my new grand daughter born so far away in Melbourne and how we can see her picture right away. They are amazed and they are happy for me. I am shown a picture of a grand daughter taken at Christmas and a new sweater that was given by a grand child. Moments of beauty and wonder touch our lives and remind us of how much we have to be thankful for.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Yes, it is good to have those people who can take care of us when we are old and smelly. I always wonder what the people do to get the images out of their heads? Or smells.
Sandra

Anonymous said...

It is a real talent to be able to look after the sick. The nurses were very good to Melina in hospital . They are so busy , all the staff were , about 20 babies a day at the moment .
Ken