Tuesday, December 1, 2009

A Commitment to Comment. Consistently.

The tsunami that hit my island on September 29 left me without words. Not merely speechless, but absolutely wordless. My mind could not begin to understand how so much destruction could happen so quickly. Mom was safe, and true to her nature, got busy helping out where she could. We lost our Aunty Michelle, who had been a major part of our Samoa life. We were lucky, not too many reasons to cry personally. But a sadness for the general loss was unshakable.

What followed for the next 3 weeks was my constant adding of links to my Facebook page. It included people's video and image shares from Samoa. I added over 50 links in that time. No words came from me, just the links. I wanted only to focus on what had happened in Tutuila. The images from Upolu were not as readily forthcoming. I had walked those streets, I had traveled to those some of those villages daily. My mind battled with the new landscape that was forced into being by the wild blue sea. I wanted to go home, I wanted to make it safe and restore it back to my mind's remembering. Does that sound delusional? I think I may have lost it a bit, because that was my homeland.
Many people I know were galvanized by that tragedy to send help in any way they could. I applaud their efforts and their abilities. Others were able to speak and move and do. They organized donation stations, shipping dates and concerts. T-shirt sales and graphics to use on the internet to show that Samoa was on the most important "to-do" list ever popped up overnight. I observed. That is what I did. Observe and pray. My default in detached crises is to observe. I know I can do when I need to. (I delivered a baby in my truck in 2005, so I know I can do when I need to.) But this was not in my proximity, and that helplessness was what caused me to only observe. But many many thoughts were and are swirling in my mind since September 29, and I want to get them out and about. I need to convert those thoughts into words.
That being said, I commit to comment consistently for the remainder of this year. On New Year's Day, I will revisit that commitment and see if I succeeded or not.
This is Day 1 of my Commitment to Comment Consistently.

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