It’s become trite to say how differences seem to melt away and people come together when confronted by natural disasters in this country and around the world. But sometimes things become trite because they are so true.
The thousand gallons of sewage-tinged water we pumped out of our basement last Thursday night was nothing compared to the suffering of so many in Iowa — Cedar Falls, Cedar Rapids, Iowa City, and now Burlington. Keokuk is still in the bulls-eye.
People do stand together, volunteers turn out to sandbag, professionals who service drains sometimes don’t charge for late night emergencies. E-mails and phone calls come in from around the country from friends and family. Comparisons to Katrina are made (over the top, I have to say).
No one would wish this kind of thing on a community. But when such things occur they do remind us of the power of nature, of the fragility of human life, of the futility of self-sufficiency, and the essential nature of community. Our prayer “that we all may be one” takes on new meaning.
May we remember this in better times…
That We All May Be One 
June 25, 2008 at 4:48 pm |
Amen, that we remember to pray that we all may be one in good as well as hard times!