The other night I told a friend that I'd expected making a dontation to support the relief effort in Haiti to make me feel better. When it didn't, I began to question my expectation, and was almost overwhelmed with guilt for being upset that taking action did nothing to help my mood. There were people deprived of water, food and medical care, and here I was, feeling bad about, well, feeling bad.
Is this the disease of the privileged? To feel bad while living a decent life and helping others when possible? To be unable to fully accept the good fortune of being born in a wealthy country to a loving family that made sure all needs, including education, were well covered?
This morning brought news of a new quake, 6.1 this time, that sent people screaming into the streets. I'm already considering a second donation, but I won't expect it to do anything for me this time.
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hi heidi
ReplyDeletethis feeling you speak ofis only one of the many pitfalls of technology. consider that 100 years ago, we would not have heard of the quake, been able to send help in any reasonable amount of time, if able to go and "help"-it would have been with the most crude of implements. what we would have brought was a sense of caring and one to one interaction that all of humanity has searched for and yearned for. i find these sorts of tragedies very overwhelming, too. love you, nance
Thank you for that thoughtful perspective, Nance. Love you, too.
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