My heart has been with the families of the German Wings plane crash.............I can't get it out of my mind - not even for a full 10 minutes.
I don't know why plane crashes affect me like this.
Tell me about a car accident
Or a train accident
Or a ship accident - and my heart breaks ( of course it does ) but I don't dwell on the victims final moments
For some reason I focus on the families and their overpowering loss and grief.
Tell me about a plane crash and it's a totally different story - for some reason my thoughts are always with the victims.
I've been thinking about how much faith we have to put in humanity on a daily basis just to survive - without much thought at all.
It's a given in our minds that when the light turn green - we go - never even considering the possibility that some crazed driver will plow right into us. ( but they do sometimes )
Or that we can walk into a mall and do a little shopping and no one will come in brandishing a gun We're safe ( but sometimes we aren't )
Or that we can rest comfortably in a theater watching a movie ( but not always )
Or that we can send our kids to school knowing they'll come home ( but sometimes they don't )
Or that we can get on a plane - and trust that the pilots will get us from here to there...............
I don't want to think of their last moments - it's the last thing I want to imagine - and yet that's ALL I can think about......................the terror - the panic - the chaos - it renders me a weeping mess.
And leaves me thinking I'm completely abnormal - I feel like I'm carrying a weight that my shoulders can't sustain.
Most of us live by a plan - or at the very least an outline of where we're going and we live our lives according to that to some degree. When natural tragedies occur within our midst we're tossed outside our world frantically looking for a way to get back in - not even sure we want to most of the time because that world has been fractured -
Still, when it's a natural tragedy we can find solace - in faith - in spiritually - in family - in friendships - and most importantly, in time.
But this?
This is really just too frightening to think about.
Maybe it's because it brings home the reality that we can wake up in the morning and go about our daily business completely unaware that a stranger has predetermined our fate.
Sat down and methodically rewritten our story with a slash of their pen and changed our ending completely.
I look around in disbelief and think " the world just goes on " as I see
The sun shining
Children playing
People smiling and laughing
And it always takes a moment or two for me to realize that this is what it's supposed to do - in the face of unspeakable tragedy we have to cling to the good and never take a moment for granted.
Or a smile.
I need to remember that more often.
I got the quote wrong - it should be BELIEVE THERE IS GOOD IN THE WORLD
but the sentiment is right................
Love,
Me
So scary right! Those poor souls. Please try to think happy thoughts today, like painting a piece of furniture!
ReplyDeleteSuzan, there is much more good in the world than evil, it is just that the media focuses our attention on the evil. Why is that? I have my own thoughts about that, but this is not the place to discuss them. There are nearly 7 billion people on this planet today, and 99.9% of them all want the same thing -- peace, security, love and joy for themselves and their loved ones. And those 99.9% know that they aren't going to get the things they want by doing evil to someone else. I don't have to believe that there is good in the world because I see it, I live it, every single day, and so do most all the rest of us. It is so ingrained in our fundamental humanity that this is why we are shocked and so affected when something evil happens. There are some who wish us to think that we are "animals" and are genetically programmed for selfishness and greed, despite overwhelming evidence to the contrary that we see proof of every day in our lives -- billions of kind and caring acts that we render to each other, family, friends, and strangers -- and we don't even thing about it! Your sadness and grief and maybe anger too at the corporate greed that allowed this horrible thing to happen, are natural and understandable. We don't ever forget such things, but time will work its magic and ease the trauma. Carrying on in the face of these things is what good people do.
ReplyDeleteI actually prefer your version of the quote. If we can't believe there's still some good left in this old world, we're doomed. And I'm with you, I think of the victims too...what was going through their minds, etc. honestly it's why I quit listening to the news. So negative. I'd rather not know the instant something horrible happens. Sigh.
ReplyDeleteI too always imagine the passengers' last moments, when they realize that they are going down and they are helpless to prevent it. I can imagine doing nothing but frantically grabbing my husband's hand, telling him i love him, closing my eyes tight, and quietly preparing to meet my Maker. I am sure that many did just that. This incident just points out that we have no certainty of tomorrow. My heart aches for the families.
ReplyDeleteHugs ~~~
ReplyDeleteSuzan, I am the very same way. Last summer when the Malaysian airlines was shot down over the Ukraine, I couldn't hear enough. There 100 under the age of 20. A lot were Dutch which probably added to my increased attention. I wanted to know who the victims were. So very sad. This Germanwings crash was heart breaking. I still think about it. But you know, my trust has to be in God always, because God is good. God's heart was breaking as well for each of the victims and their loved ones. This is not something He wanted. Men without God do these sorts of things. You have a tender heart Suzan and I enjoy reading your blog. Have a great day. Diane
ReplyDeleteAmen Diane......................
ReplyDeletexoxo
I too, found myself dwelling on the victims of that plane crash last moments. I had to stop myself from thinking about it as it overwhelmed me. I agree with Diane's and Judy's comments above and we have to trust in God each and every day and believe that he only wants the best for us but sometimes it's not meant to be. Our daughter her husband and 3 little ones were flying from Dubai to Perth Australia last week and you can be sure they were on my mind and I was praying for their flight and safety. We just never know when it will be our time so we need to be ready to enter eternity. God bless you Suzan, with peace in your mind and heart over this. Hugs. Pam
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for sharing your feelings and your quote. Some days it is hard to find the good in the world to believe in, but we must in order to keep ourselves balanced so that we can face another day. I love the fact that you are a person of depth with more to offer than just a fantastic makeover or a new project. Keep on writing from your heart.
ReplyDeleteNo I thank YOU Ruth Anne, for understanding my need to do so..............
Deletexoxo
My heart, thoughts and prayers go out to anyone who has suffered a severe tragedy like this.
ReplyDeleteThe following is something that I have framed hanging on my kitchen wall. I see it and read it everyday when I get up for my morning coffee which helps me make it through the difficult times.
'When something bad happens you have 3 choices.
You can either let it define you.
Let it destroy you, or you
can let it strengthen you.'
There are times when we have bad things happen before Good things can.
The bad things happen in our lives in order to teach us how to look at the good things in a whole new light.
Very well said. Feeling the same. Big hug to you! xo Patty
ReplyDeleteI completely understand how you feel, sometimes I simply can not watch the news, the madness is more than my heart can bear. I know that burying my head in the sand is not a solution but some days the woes of this world are too big to carry. The majority of my days I hold the belief that there is good and kindness in this world, sadly that rarely makes headlines. Occasionally I weep for the lost, especially something as senseless as this plane crash. Why must those in distress feel the necessity to involve others in their madness? So many questions we will never have answers to, all we can do is hold up our heads, spread as much love and good as we possibly can, for what else is there?
ReplyDeleteYou needed to find out if other people feel the way you do about tragedies. The man that deliberately crashed that plane killing innocent people was very selfish, he was having problems and decided to punish other people. I will have to copy your quote to help me deal with what's happened. It's so unnecessary and hurts so badly when other selfish and misguided people force tragedies on others that are innocent. It's so scarey when somebody takes control of ours or others lives. It's sure good to know there are people like yourself and these other commenters that are good people and would never do such a horrific thing.
ReplyDeleteI remember watching what happened on 9/11 seeing the unthinkable happen. Thought about all those people and how frightened they must have been. I sure haven't forgotten about it and pretty sure you haven't either, many others of us. The older I get and see what humanity thinks of to do to others the more it frightens me for my children and theirs. I pray to God to protect my loved ones. My son flies a lot for his job, all over U.S. and sometimes other countries. I try not to think of it but it's there in my heart til I know he's safe. I will print out what Colleen (above commentor) has said to us, think will be needing it. We all might need some encouragement to deal with what keeps happening. Good day everybody. Thanks Suzan for helping us to think about this and be able to speak about it among ourselves.
If anybody chooses to reply please do so to: FurryKidzPaperworx@gmail.com Thx
I don't get it either - when they have to take others down with them -
DeleteThe terrifying thing with a plane is that there's no chance whatsoever of escaping someone else's madness - just heart breaking.............
And I'm the same way when my kids travel -
xoxo
Suzan, I couldn't stop thinking about it either. The passengers on the plane didn't know what was happening until they heard the captain banging on the door. I can't imagine the terror. I'm not a paranoid person but the last time I got on a plane I thought about the pilot and the thought of just how stable or how capable he was ran through my mind. When we're young we're pretty fearless but as I get older I think about things like that more often. Is the elevator going to work? Where are the nearest exits in the mall, movie theater, etc. Is the sporting event I'm attending safe, is the security strong enough to stop someone from blowing up the place. It's a scary world we live in but I think it was always scary, it's just today we have a constant feed of information coming our way via our phones, the internet and television. As I left my office today I heard the sweetest sounds of a bird singing and I realized there is beauty in the world. We just have to look deeper to find it.
ReplyDeleteI've never thought of the pilot ( and I'm afraid of my own shadow really ) just never thought about them at all..............I am, however, on extreme heightened alert with passengers.
DeleteWhat an awful way to live really - but that's the new reality.
Thanks Debbie............have a wonderful weekend
xoxo
This was so sad. It is getting harder and harder to watch the news everyday :( A great sign Suzan
ReplyDeleteBy being the good you want to see in the world, you make the tragedies a little more bearable. If we lived our lives being suspicious of those around us, we would be immobilized. There would be no joy or gratitude. We can't forget the awfulness that happens, but we can live even in the face of adversity. We are resilient.
ReplyDelete