Friday, January 15, 2010

For Haiti

For Haiti

for Haiti

The world is full of suffering, it is also full of overcoming it.
--Helen Keller

American Red Cross
Doctors Without Borders
World Food Programme
MercyCorps
International Rescue Committee
UNICEF
Yele Haiti- (Wyclef Jean)
CARE
Charity Navigator
ReliefWeb
Humanitarian News And Analysis
Thomas Reuters Foundation-AlertNet

My heart aches for the suffering, the grief, the unimaginable loss, the fear, the unknown, the vastness and depth of it all, for those in Haiti and for others around the world suffering in much the same way. I think of them and hold them in my heart, hoping that help finds each person and hoping that any little thing we might do will provide aid and feed compassion.

To that end, I reject all messages of hate so odious it defies comprehension. I also reject the idealism and elitism that embraces the idea that one's thoughts and intentions brings to them what they have asked for, like the message promoted by The Secret and other snake-oil purveyors. The idea that anyone could have brought upon themselves the sort of suffering that a 7.0 earthquake brings to an already impoverished country, simply because the people weren't thinking correctly, is absolutely hideous to me, and I reject it absolutely. I bring this up because I know that I live in optimism, hope and joy--intentionally, with full knowledge that not everything is within my power and that there is no magic genie who will provide for me or others--and I fully know that I have the option of living a joyful life because of my elite position, being born white, American and otherwise priviledged. I reject that the law of attraction works for me, but not for others in the world, simply because of my station. I had no more choice in where my soul landed than did anyone else's soul on this planet. I bring this up because during horrible devastation like this, I find myself alone with these thoughts, this feeling of outrage at such blindness and cruelty, more than ever, as so many around me seem to not see the dark side of this belief-system. So I will continue to have hope and continue to act, to embrace joy, if for no other reason that others simply cannot. So this is my prayer for the mothers, the fathers, the children of Haiti:

May you find them safe and whole.
May you find help, aid, now, not later.
May water quench your thirst.
May food pass your lips.
May hands reach out to you and hold you up and embrace you.
May you be clothed.
May you be healed.
May you be reunited.
May someone listen to your story.
May you have the chance to say good-bye.
May you have someone to hear your keening.
May you have hope.
May you, one day, find joy again.

7 comments:

  1. Thank you for a beautiful post Amy. I just wrote my own post about this, as I hear people I thought I knew question the need to help Haiti at their time of need. I have been so sad to see folks talk about this situation as if Haitians are any less deserving of our compassion. Anyway great post.

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  2. as i am sure you have noticed my facebook stuff has focused on this (the secret) i have struggled with this for many years, carrying the world on my shoulders, the guilt of being born white, in america while so many all over struggle day to day with just having enough food, or protecting their children, war, disease. it is so overwhelming. i do not think that the people of haiti brought upon themselves an earthquake because enough of them didn't think good thoughts. i don't think that if you get in an accident it was because you didn't think enough "i am safe" thoughts to not get in one. BUT i do think that it harms none to put out good thoughts, feelings, positives energy, blessings, what ever you wish to call them... putting that out into the world that so much of the time seems full of hate, longing, dispair.
    and then i also take action. i am trying every day to do something, anything to make at least some one in some part of the world feel that they are not alone.

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  3. "BUT i do think that it harms none to put out good thoughts, feelings, positives energy, blessings, what ever you wish to call them"--I agree. I see that as living with intention and optimism and something wholly different from what The Secret and it's ilk promote. However, I do think there is an elitist side to this "positive thinking" culture we have, as by our very position in the world, most, not all of us in the US, for instance, are entitled and we think it's enough to "think good thoughts", and we feel pious and moral for doing our 'bit'. And to compare our daily trivialities with what Haiti is enduring now and think of it as "they are not alone"--is compeltely outrageous. Of course they are alone. We know nothing about the kind of poverty (most of us--I realize there are places of despicable poverty in the US) Haiti endures on a daily basis. Financial, political, psychological and spiritual poverty unlike anything most of us can even begin to relate to.

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  4. Beautifully expressed, Amy. I wholly appreciate your honesty and it resonates with me in a way that I was previously unable to express. I find it hard to nicely put the enormity of devastation in Haiti in the same "my thoughts are with you" box as other...well, previous incidents deemed tragic in my mostly propitious existence.

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  5. Thank you for dropping by my blog and leaving your thoughtful comments. I so appreciate your thoughts of our loved ones in Haiti at this time. Haiti is going to need much healing - for a very long, long time. Thank you so very much for doing your part --- and of course you would --- you are a very generous soul.

    Much Love,
    Jodi

    P.S. I will update on our blog as we learn anything of our family & friends in Haiti.

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  6. Excellent post. Unfortunately, Mr. Robertson seems above shame.

    Here is a you tube clip I found the other day that captures some of the issues related to this hate that is disguised by those who profit the most from it. www.youtube.com/watch?v=sQfoFzJUsb0

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