Striving to be highly reasonable, even in the face of unreasonableness.
Reading, knitting, and some alcohol may help.
Monday, April 27, 2015
Look for Them
I've heard these wise words from Mr. Rogers' mother far too many times - after the Oklahoma City bombing, 9/11, the Aurora and Newtown shootings, the Boston Marathon bombing - and they still make me cry.
Nancy Rogers has given all of us a way to deal with tragedies of unimaginable proportion, whether they are man-made or natural. Her words have been so helpful to me in processing too many catastrophes, and now I always look for the helpers.
That was the first thing I did when I heard the news of the Nepal earthquake. Images show the overwhelming scope of the catastrophe, but just as Nancy Rogers and her son reminded us, there are always helpers.
Omar Havana/Getty Images
Omar Havana / Getty Images
Prakash Mathema/Getty Images
Omar Havana / Getty Images
I don't have much to offer to all those suffering except thoughts, prayers, and donations. But I guess in some miniscule way, that makes me a helper. Doctors Without Borders, Unicef, American Red Cross, and many others are providing help; please consider being a helper yourself. If you leave me a comment about how you have helped recently (for anyone, in any way; it doesn't have to be earthquake-related or a monetary contribution), I'll hold a random drawing on Monday, May 4, and award some yet-to-be determined yarny prizes. Thank you to all the helpers who give me hope.
I donate regularly to Doctors Without Borders, they are a great organization. Last week in Mexico Dale and I befriended 2 young women from Amsterdam who were staying at our hotel. They didn't have a car and we saw them walking so we gave them a ride to the grocery store, helped them with advice on where to go and what to see, etc. It was nice to help someone and they really appreciated it. And we are the beneficiaries because we made new friends!
That Mrs Rogers was a very wise woman (and she put zippers in all those cardigans!). I helped last week at the nursing home...one woman who needed reassurance that her half double crochets were still half double and another who lost her knitting needle in her handbag.
I donate regularly to Doctors Without Borders, they are a great organization. Last week in Mexico Dale and I befriended 2 young women from Amsterdam who were staying at our hotel. They didn't have a car and we saw them walking so we gave them a ride to the grocery store, helped them with advice on where to go and what to see, etc. It was nice to help someone and they really appreciated it. And we are the beneficiaries because we made new friends!
ReplyDeleteThat Mrs Rogers was a very wise woman (and she put zippers in all those cardigans!). I helped last week at the nursing home...one woman who needed reassurance that her half double crochets were still half double and another who lost her knitting needle in her handbag.
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