A Reminder
It's so easy to forget, nestled in my my snug, warm little home, that there are thousands of people in Louisiana who are suffering through this Christmas. But after months of "Please Help Katrina Survivors," the rest of the country has become weary. They've given millions of dollars and tons of merchandise, so Louisiana should be okay by now, right?
I visited home last weekend, and I am sad to say, it's still not close to normal. Piles of debris are still lined up on the sides of the streets. The twisted pine trees serve as a constant reminder; Mother Nature waits in silence, until she's had enough of the human race's pollution and selfishness. The work has only just begun.
I know in my heart that it is wrong to shut out the pain and suffering of these people, but I've given and given until I just don't want to hear about it anymore. It's never enough. If I gave up everything I owned, there would still be more need, so much more than anyone can afford to give. This year in particular, I am more aware of people's needs than ever before. But for the sake of my own sanity, I have to push it away, just for a little while, so I can appreciate what I DO have. I need to snuggle up to my daughter in our nice, warm house, under our pile of non-American-Red-Cross issued blankets, eat a bag of chips without regard to the thousands without food, just for ONE DAY.
Tomorrow there will still be need. Tomorrow I will have the resolve to face it without a sense of hopelessness.
But today, I just want to be selfish.
I visited home last weekend, and I am sad to say, it's still not close to normal. Piles of debris are still lined up on the sides of the streets. The twisted pine trees serve as a constant reminder; Mother Nature waits in silence, until she's had enough of the human race's pollution and selfishness. The work has only just begun.
I know in my heart that it is wrong to shut out the pain and suffering of these people, but I've given and given until I just don't want to hear about it anymore. It's never enough. If I gave up everything I owned, there would still be more need, so much more than anyone can afford to give. This year in particular, I am more aware of people's needs than ever before. But for the sake of my own sanity, I have to push it away, just for a little while, so I can appreciate what I DO have. I need to snuggle up to my daughter in our nice, warm house, under our pile of non-American-Red-Cross issued blankets, eat a bag of chips without regard to the thousands without food, just for ONE DAY.
Tomorrow there will still be need. Tomorrow I will have the resolve to face it without a sense of hopelessness.
But today, I just want to be selfish.
posted by Kristie at 8:13 AM
2 Comments:
I think we are going through a form of "survivor's guilt". We missed the devastation but are close enough to take a 2 hour drive and see it.
We've given what we can afford to give this year. I have to stop somewhere and just be grateful for what we have. I'd go crazy otherwise.
You can't solve everyone's problems. You give what you can without making your family suffer and no, it's not selfish. You clean your house, not the entire block. It's all one person can do.
Not to sound harsh here either, but I get tired of hearing "I'm from Louisiana" when I have ask people why they are doing something they ought not to do. We sympathize with your plight, but we won't tolerate its use as an excuse to do wrong.
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