Do you remember where you were 6 years ago today? Of course you do. On that morning I was driving in our old Corolla to Target, having just moved into a new house and in need of furnishings. Flash was with me; he was almost 2. We heard the 1st tower fall on NPR. I chatted with the cashier about it, returned to the car, and then realized that it was now two towers down, with thousands of people trapped inside. I went home and sat in front of the television all day, weeping. All of those people jumping. All of those "missing" posters in the days to come. All of those parents and siblings and spouses, gone.
I've been reading "For the Time Being" by Annie Dillard. She quotes the Mahabharata:
"Of all of the world's wonders, which is the most wonderful?"
"That no man, though he sees others dying all around him, believes that he himself will die."
It's true, isn't it? In the past week I've watched the rapid decline of Miss Hannah, was informed of a sexual abuse situation in our ward, and --tonight-- heard that people have been robbed at gunpoint in our neighborhood recently. (This last came from a well-meaning neighbor who shared all pertinent details with use in front of our kids. They're sleeping in our room tonight.) And though waves of sadness and fear and anxiety wash over me from time to time, the breakfast is made, the dishes are washed, the laundry is put away. To stop would be to acquiesce, to deny the warmth that hope brings to weary limbs and minds, that "healing balm" that we all require and receive more than we probably know.
4 comments:
Wow, that is intense to deal with all that in one week. Good for you for not burying your head in the sand like I would be tempted to do!
Thank you for your blog. I actually was brought to tears reding this. I know something of which you write: it would be so easy to aquiesce and become hopeless. Last week I read an article about the atrocities happening in the Congo (women being brutally raped and tortured) and it devastated me. I felt completely hopeless and actually had nightmares about what I had read. I prayed about it, but just sort of got angry with God. I mean, how could he allow such evil happen, especially to kids? Then, I heard a talk at Time Out For Women about the power of one and how God can take all the simple acts of kindness we perform and magnify them. For some reason, it made me feel a bit better. Anyway, I am rambling. I just appreciated what you had to say about this. Thank you.
I love the print on your blog. So beautiful. I am going to have to look up works by that artist.
Thank you for your words. I'm really grateful to have friends who share their wisdom.
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