The earthquake that devastated Haiti yesterday has rallied the world around the Haitian people, and like many others I feel the need to do what I can to support relief efforts. It is at times like this that we all think about our fellow human beings and consider how we are able to help them. I always feel like these sorts of unfortunate events highlight the good in people. At the same time, I sometimes think they highlight how many people are in need every day. Yesterday I was browsing through one of my favorite sites for mothers, Mamapedia, and I happened upon a thread in which mothers mused on the best things to happen to them in 2009. Amongst the wonderful events shared were a few that were so disheartening — people losing their jobs, their homes, their children, people experiencing devastation and upheaval in their lives — and it got me thinking. A large-scale and horrific event like a natural disaster or a war or a crime draw our attention like nothing else, because the thousands of people who are hurting are clustered in a small area. This calls us to action. But what about the tragedies that occur every day? What about the poor person who has lost their job and isn’t sure how they will feed and house their family?
Not to be a downer, but we live in a world that is filled with tragedy and devastation. Every day millions of people are hurting somewhere, especially in these times of financial difficulty and political turmoil. It is a good time for all of us to think about the little things we can do to help our fellow humans daily, even if it’s just lending an ear to someone who has fallen on hard times or signing a petition to call for help for a troubled nation. Even the simplest things can make a big difference. It’s hard to remember that, but maybe we can take this opportunity to resolve to help whomever we can whenever we can in whatever capacity we can. I can’t think of many better resolutions for 2010.
