Rare and Beautiful Life
Today I am grateful for a phone conversation with my friend Sheila and for both of us continuing in healthy survivorship since our breast cancer diagnoses.
I am also grateful for my siblings and a special "Happy Birthday" wish to my sister Leonice and my brother Neal. (They aren't twins, but they do share a birthday.)
Yesterday's post about "rare and beautiful country" stayed with me throughout my day. I went to our church services, which I only tend to do every few weeks. I enjoyed the time to slow down as well as the upbeat hymns used when we have contemporary services.
As prayers were read, the refugee crisis in Europe came up, as did the wildfires out west. There are 19 million refugees in the world today, with over 42,000 new refugees joining that number daily. That 42,000 is nearly twice the size of the community I live in, fleeing civil war and other strife each day. Syria alone has had 4 million people flee the country since 2011.
Over 8 million acres have been burned in the wildfires this year, with 5 firefighters being killed in the line of duty, and hundreds and hundreds of structures being destroyed.
There aren't too many things that seem beautiful about refugees fleeing and wildfires burning. But I think the beauty of humanity comes out in such times. People helping people. And the rare, precious, and fragile nature of life itself become even more meaningful.
In recent days I have also watched part of Ken Burns' "Civil War" series, some coverage of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, and read local news about a man who apparently murdered his wife and three teen children before taking his own life.
Heavy stuff. Very heavy, disheartening, frightening. But very much that stark and pointed reminder of the gift of life we get today.
What will I do with that gift? What will you do with it? Let's try to add to the stream of positive, to help stem the tide of negative.
I am also grateful for my siblings and a special "Happy Birthday" wish to my sister Leonice and my brother Neal. (They aren't twins, but they do share a birthday.)
Yesterday's post about "rare and beautiful country" stayed with me throughout my day. I went to our church services, which I only tend to do every few weeks. I enjoyed the time to slow down as well as the upbeat hymns used when we have contemporary services.
As prayers were read, the refugee crisis in Europe came up, as did the wildfires out west. There are 19 million refugees in the world today, with over 42,000 new refugees joining that number daily. That 42,000 is nearly twice the size of the community I live in, fleeing civil war and other strife each day. Syria alone has had 4 million people flee the country since 2011.
Over 8 million acres have been burned in the wildfires this year, with 5 firefighters being killed in the line of duty, and hundreds and hundreds of structures being destroyed.
There aren't too many things that seem beautiful about refugees fleeing and wildfires burning. But I think the beauty of humanity comes out in such times. People helping people. And the rare, precious, and fragile nature of life itself become even more meaningful.
In recent days I have also watched part of Ken Burns' "Civil War" series, some coverage of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, and read local news about a man who apparently murdered his wife and three teen children before taking his own life.
Heavy stuff. Very heavy, disheartening, frightening. But very much that stark and pointed reminder of the gift of life we get today.
What will I do with that gift? What will you do with it? Let's try to add to the stream of positive, to help stem the tide of negative.
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