typhoon

typhoon photo via website above

Killer typhoon brings new misery to beleaguered Japan - article on msn.com

In the category of "enough already..."

Haiti and Japan, I'm telling you... It's really been too much for both of them the past couple of years.  What is left to say?   The parish where I worked for the past year prays weekly for an end to the suffering of both countries.  May those prayers be answered affirmatively.

I know there are parts of the US that are reeling, too - be it drought or flood, tornado or hurricane. I just heard at church yesterday about a little Episcopal church in Vermont that was already struggling and now has lost its buildings.  Buildings are not people, of course, but they are still a loss to be reckoned with both financially and emotionally. 

In American literature class sophomore year of high school, we read a number of things with the theme of Man vs. Nature (we didn't talk about humanity back then, just man...).  Short stories by Jack London come to mind.  A century or two ago, we were much more aware of nature as a force to be reckoned with. Things have gotten to the point in many places where it is easy, at least in the city, to forget that. I think it's time we began taking it more seriously again in order to plan appropriately. Who knows, perhaps new literature will grow out of this and fifty years from now children will be reading fiction and reflecting on the lessons we are trying to learn from all this.

I would also like to see no more news about various people attributing natural disasters to the behavior of those with whom they disagree.  I wonder what they do when they themselves are faced with such things. 

If we learn nothing else, I hope we will at least learn to take care of each other better.
Hospitality. Shelter.

Love one another. Feed my sheep.