Posts
I don't like tragedy. I am part journalist, and I still don't like tragedy.
Before I became a mother, I think I was (unfortunately) fascinated by tragic events that happened around the world that did not affect me directly (9/11 was, of course, a different story). It wasn't that I didn't feel compassion for the people who found themselves in harm's way, I just felt detached from their situation.
Something happens to a woman when she gives birth. Devastation, death, hunger, you name it—all horrific conditions of human existence—become at times an almost unbearable feeling. World events seep under your skin and rest like a heavy sadness I didn't experience before I became a mom.
A lot of it has to do with being able to identify more with those afflicted masses. Because all of the sudden, the grief of mothers and fathers who have lost children seems painfully sharp. And your heart aches for those children who are—in an instant—orphaned from acts of God (Mother Nature?) or from the hands of man.
Lately I've had the blues for these people around the world...Myanmar, China, India. And just today I read that China is also dealing with an outbreak of hand-foot-mouth disease that's killing dozens of children.
Those headlines break my heart and keep me on edge. I find myself worrying a little more. That "it can't happen to me" scenario seems a little less true.
It's silly, I know. You can't walk around every day of your life waiting for the ball to drop. And I generally don't. Sometimes, though, I find myself wondering if God (or whatever/whomever rules the universe(s)) or Superman is on vacation. The last few weeks, I've thought that many times.
In response to recent news David said to me the other day, "Yeah, I think I'll stay in Ohio." He's right... I'll take a 3.0 earthquake and the occasional tornado any day over the weather and volatile political climate of other states/nations. Sometimes life just seems so cruel.
Wednesday, May 14, 2008
Tragedy blues
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
3 comments:
It is weird how your opinions and emotions change once you become a mother. Motherhood is truly a life altereing event.
Typically I am an emotional person anyway but I was pregnant with Ian when Hurricane Katrinia hit and between my normal and pregnacy emotions I could not watch a singe second of coverage on that event. I would break down completly.
I agree with David though I am staying right here in OHIO thankyou! :)
I do the same thing and I think a lot of people do. I feel like when something tragic happens I get consumed in it and I want to know all about it and see pictures etc.. even though it's something really horrible. Kinda like when you see a car wreck and you know it's bad but you look anyways!
I was just looking at pictures on the internet yesterday from the earthquake in China and I had to stop because it was so sad! There were so many children killed and it just broke my heart. Losing a child is any mother's worst fear. I'm getting teary eyed just thinking about it right now! I just can't imagine and hope I never do feel the pain of losing a child.
There have been so many horrific tragedies lately it's just not fair!
It is sad and all we can do is offer up our prayers. And I, too, have become much more aware of the suffering since becoming a mother and I've been a mother longer than I haven't been a mother it seems like forever.
That was clever about superman being on vacation.
Post a Comment