Forget about "business as usual." Between Monday's tragedy at the Boston Marathon and last night's explosion of a fertilizer plant in West, Texas, I'm incapable of writing about travel, food, gardening, even books.
Like you, I've been watching and reading news reports, staying up past my bedtime, and thinking about the unpredictability of life and our need to make sense out of the senseless.
After the Boston Marathon bombings, social-media expert Kristen Lamb wrote a blog post about how a bystander's bravery restored her faith in humanity even as disasters reduce our tolerance for social-media gaffes.
Lamb's post also included this image of and quote from Fred Rogers:
Lamb's post also included this image of and quote from Fred Rogers:
Last night, I watched helpers run to the rescue of those trapped in a nursing home in West. Helpers also fought fire and lined up to transport people out of town. Seeing them in action comforted me in a way Bible verses couldn't because those helpers were prayer in action.
When I think of the people whose lives have been changed by disaster, I resolve to wring more out of every day I've been given. That doesn't mean I'll add an around-the-world adventure to my bucket list, although I may go zip-lining sooner than planned. My chief resolution is to pay better attention to the people around me.
My Older Daughter's birthday's coming up. A few days ago, I asked her what flavor of cake she wanted.
She hesitated. "I don't really like cake."
For three decades, OD has eaten cake on her birthday. She gets points for politeness, but how I wish I'd known she'd have preferred lemon bars.
I'm going to pay attention. And, if called upon to act, I hope I've got what it takes to be a helper.
