Perspectives

I have a knack for seeing the "downer" in just about anything. I'm also pretty good at finding people and entities to lash out at when something's happening that I can't explain or understand. My last post came from that place. The truth is, I'm still disheartened and disappointed with the lack of preparation for something we should have expected. But I needed to hear good news, and I thank Vixen and CL for reminding me that all is not lost. My home state is opening its arms like never before. (Although I just heard on the news that Gov. Rick Perry wants to start turning people away because Texas is becoming too strained. For the love. It takes three days just to drive across the damn state. I don't think it's going to burst at the seams anytime soon...but look at me, bitching again. I digress.) I'm pretty proud to be a Texan at the current moment. I wish I could drop everything and head home, be with my family, and give my time to the people who seem to need more help than even my students right now.

I can't go anywhere, though, so I'm trying to round up a shipment of clothing, since I read online that the City Waste Management services are taking it to donate to the different shelters around the city. And I'm taking stock. Why is it that disasters are needed in order for people to figure out what's important to them? When things are going well, we get mired in the mundane and find little things to worry and complain about. It takes a shakeup of Biblical proportions to help us remember to treat each other well, to relish our time on earth. It seems blasphemous to imagine any good coming out of this terrible time, but if we emerge on the other side of this nightmare to be a more humane society, even to the tiniest degree...well, that would be something.
-pg