As I sit here watching the images of the devastation and human suffering that the earthquake has caused in Haiti, I can’t help thinking how fortunate I am. This is definitely a time to take inventory of our many blessings and to reflect on how good our lives really are. Of course, we are always going to find things to complain about because that is human nature. However, there is no way that one could possibly complain over what are probably trivial issues in their lives once one sees the horrific photographs and footage on news channels and in the media.
I have noticed on Facebook that many people are posting about us getting closer to Armageddon due to these natural catastrophes. This doesn’t surprise me because these kinds of events always prompt all of the religious fanatics to come out of the woodwork to grace us with their proclamations and revelations. No pun intended. Nothing, and I mean nothing, should be taking attention away from the fact that human beings are suffering in Haiti in a way that is inconceivable to you and me. Parents have watched their children die and children are without their parents. Water and food have become luxuries and they are struggling just to gain access to basic human needs that we all take for granted on a daily basis.
I wonder how much the rest of the world is actually going to continue to help once the media presence decreases there in the coming weeks. This is a place that was deemed to poorest country in the Western Hemisphere prior to this tragedy with almost 90% of the population living at or below the poverty line. Maybe it is just me, however, I cannot help but wonder where the rest of the world was when most of the adults and children in Haiti were starving for many years before the earthquake even took place. It makes me really sad that promises are being made to these poor people that might never come to fruition. Truly making Haiti whole would include repairing all of the damage that the earthquake caused and solving all of the other issues, that have always been there, including poverty, unemployment, health care, etc.
It is really important that the rest of the world realize that Haiti is going to need them for the long haul. In reality, this is not as great an endeavor as it seems. All we have to do is take all of the millions of dollars that we spend daily on nonsense and just use it to take care of humans. I mean, why the hell are so many countries spending so much money on space programs when we have people right here on earth starving and suffering? It was a complete joke to me last year when I heard that India spent a million dollars to launch a ship into space when their own people are dying and starving in Calcutta. Talk about needing to choose your priorities… Unfortunately, almost every country is guilty of misspending and wasting valuable resources where they would be better utilized by their less fortunate citizens.
As I sit here writing this post, I can listen to the laughter of my sons in the next room playing and having fun. Many children in Haiti, and in other places around the world tonight, will not be laughing or playing due to hunger, illness, abuse, etc. We need to learn from these tragedies and begin to prioritize, as a human race, the things that really matter. As one reporter so poignantly put it, reporting from Haiti, “money is absolutely worthless and the things that are really valuable are food and water.” There really is no better way to put it, at the end of the day, when we are reduced to our most basic form, all of the money, wealth, and materials become irrelevant and the priority becomes survival. This really helps to put life into perspective. I will continue to keep the people of Haiti and their loved ones in my thoughts and prayers and I urge all of you to please do the same.
**P.S.- Please consider texting the code 501 501 to YELE which is Wyclef Jean’s Haitian Charity. 5 dollars will be donated to Haitian relief and charged to your phone bill. http://www.yele.org/
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