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Wrapping Our Heads Around Haiti

The disaster in Haiti is being called possibly the worst natural disaster ever to hit the Western Hemisphere.

Hundreds of thousands of people have been killed or are missing, many more thousands injured, possibly millions are now homeless and thousands of children have been orphaned.  The entire infrastructure of the country, what little there was before the quake, has been destroyed.  There is no fresh water and no food except that which is being flown in from the U.S. and other countries.
 
How can we wrap our heads around a catastrophe of such immense proportions? How can we make sense of what doesn't make sense?  Why do tragedies which happen far away impact us so greatly?  Why do we feel helpless and even guilty in the face of such awful tragedy, and what can we do about that?

BE INVOLVED

When a disaster such as the Haiti earthquake occurs, we find ourselves wanting to take action in some way.  But, we feel frustrated and helpless in the face of such horror. We identify with the victims and soon begin to feel victimized ouselves. How can we best deal with these feelings?
 

It helps to take action of some kind.  This action can take the form of rendering assistance if the disaster is close to home or if the catastrophe occurred far away, one might help by giving blood or donating to a favorite charity in the name of the victims. We may become active in emergency preparedness or join the Red Cross.  Praying for the victims and their families can bring them and us comfort.  Taking actions such as these can help bring a topsy-turvy world back into balance.

DON'T BE SURPRISED IF YOU FEEL GUILTY

It's called "survivors's guilt"...that uncomfortable feeling you get when you're enjoying a nice meal with a roof over your head while other people are suffering.  There has been much discussion about the cruise ships stopping at a beach not far from the devastation in Haiti.  How can people enjoy themselves while others are suffering?  The truth is, there is always suffering in the world.  We just don't usually notice it until a disaster occurs and the suffering ends up on the front page.  The best way to assuage the guilt is to get involved with some on-going assistance program.  The people of Haiti were suffering before the earthquake, and they will suffer for years to come.  The same is true for so many millions of people in the world.

BE PREPARED

We expect Mother Nature to go on the rampage on occasion.  Those of us who live in tornado alley watch the clouds closely, listen to the local weatherman and are prepared to go to our basements when a bad storm hits.  But, is there any way to be prepared for something as huge as a major earthquake, tornado or even a terrorist attack?

Yes.  First, we must understand and accept the unfortunate fact that this sort of thing is part of our reality and prepare for the unexpected.  Formulate and discuss plans for contacting family members in an emergency.  Be prepared to live on your own with no assistance of any kind for three to five days. This means stockpiling food, water and medicines, having a safe place to go if your home is destroyed and having some knowledge of basic first aid.  Discussing your plan of action with your loved ones will give you a feeling of having control of your life in difficult circumstances...a good step toward staying safe in any emergency.

BE SELECTIVE

The twenty-four hour news cycle is a mixed blessing.  We know from moment to moment what is happening, often as the tragedy unfolds.  But, we can find ourselves glued to the TV or radio and constantly surfing the internet, hearing the same reports over and over as reporters speculate and try to fill time with the latest details.  Being informed is being responsible.  However, it is not necessary to watch the horror 24/7.  We are empathetic creatures and watching the same awful scenes over and over has a very real affect on our emotional and physical selves.  By all means stay informed.  But, give yourself frequent breaks from the constant retelling of the story.  Realize that you can only take so much.

BE PROTECTIVE

Children do not understand that the re-running of news events are not simply the same events recurring.  They may believe that even more awful events are happening moment to moment because they do not yet have a solid concept of time.  Young children also may not understand the concept of distance and may believe that a disaster has occurred in their own neighborhood or to people they know.  Be especially protective of young children in the aftermath of a local or national tragedy.  Until they are old enough to have a sense of perspective, it's important to limit their viewing of a events such as the earthquake in Haiti.  If they have questions, answer them honestly but with care to protect their young minds.

BE REALISTIC

It's a big wide world out there...made smaller than ever by instant world-wide media.  Bad things happen.  That is and has always been part of life on this earth.  But, statistically, any one of us is unlikely to experience a tornado, terror attack or earthquake.  Most of our problems involve paying bills, doing our jobs and dealing with the numerous little problems of life.  Realize that you don't need to live your life in fear as long as you are prepared for the very unlikely event of a tragedy.