Some truly astounding coverage of the earthquake in China on NPR this week. They had two of their regular news personalities in that province preparing for a week of shows from there starting next week. They were conducting an interview at the exact moment that the earthquake happened. Since then they have been following grieving parents and capturing the emotional toll of the tragedy.
Sadly, the effects of the catastrophe in Burma are not as easily conveyed.
One additionally staggering thing about the China situation, especially relative to the school where 900 children died (among many places that children died) , is the effects of the One Child policy. It's unquestionably devastating and unimaginable to have any of your children killed by any means, but to have that be your government mandated only child? That's a whole other world altogether.
5 comments:
unimaginable
I've been in and out of that coverage, but have had to avoid it for the most part during the day while I'm at work - it's too tough to lose focuse on what I'm doing.
I was listening to coverage last night on the drive home where there was a mother who'd left her 2 year old in the care of his grandparents and had journeyed for an entire day on foot to the scene of the catastrophe, only to find no survivors. There was a translation of the words she said in grief, amidst her sobs: "Mama's here..." I broke into tears on the spot, and have actually just done so again, typing this.
That specific story was the principle instigator of this post.
Indescribably heart wrenching.
So much death and suffering. And not just right now, but throughout time.
The one thing that evens the field, universally: we are all headed to the earth (see my post).
This is a horrible reminder to us all that we never know whne the last time we will see friends and family again.
We should really try to capitalize on each and every moment we have with them.
Carpe Diem!
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