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My dear departed Daddy always preached temperance…moderation in all things. Of course, when I was younger and under his roof, in my mind temperance meant “no fun allowed”. Times change. As we age, our parents grow wiser. Funny how that works.
I’ve been thinking a lot lately about temperance especially in light of tragic recent events in Haiti. While my heart aches for the impoverished people, my blood boils at the thought of all the supplies sitting on the tarmac rather than in the hands of the needy and the state-of-the-art hospital ships sitting virtually empty off shore while the streets are filled with the dead and dying. While funds are indeed needed for Haitian relief, it would seem more critical that intelligence and a “Get ‘er done!” attitude report for duty. Too often I’ve heard the refrain of “It’s not my job” or “We must wait for proper clearance” or… The excuses are endless. Meanwhile, people are dying. Tempers are flaring. Desperation does that. How long before someone steps up to the plate? Just DO it. The doctor who delivered my children recently traveled to Haiti to assist in the medical relief efforts. She is just DOING it. There are others who are doing it and attempting to do it. The morass of red tape is astonishing. Meanwhile people are dying.
Due to the fact that I have no skills that might be considered helpful in the face of such tragedy, I will stay home and donate funds and watch the news. I will continue praying for Haiti. I will continue praying for someone to take charge, to cut through the red tape, and just get on with the business of saving lives. I wonder if Teddy Roosevelt would be waiting on proper channels? Would Martin Luther King, Jr? Somehow I seriously doubt it. So, in this particular instance, I’m thinking that my Daddy’s way of thinking is incorrect. In Haiti, the time for temperance and moderation is over. Forget the rules. Forget the regulations. It’s time to just DO it!
I’m going off to have a good cry now. 😦
One Sixth Sense 
I agree with you 100%. What is happening now is in many ways worse than the earthquake itself!!!! What is WRONG with these people that they turn away aid and medical help in favour of troops? Yes, I agree that they need troops as well…. but NOT instead of?
What I do find utterly amazing is they are STILL finding people alive and SINGING! I wonder if in some way the hardships the Haiti people faced every day have in some way helped them to cope while trapped under a couple of tons of rubble? They are an amazing nation…. well apart from those who are looting and killing! But then again if the aid had been given out would these people need to be doing this? For many I think not?
It’s so heartbreaking. But yes…the people of Haiti, those who are refusing to give up, are inspiring!
So well said Dawn, thank you! I truly don’t understand everything that is going on, but am hearing of so much help that can’t get delivered. Praying too that it reaches those who need it as fast as possible. Have been having a cry-a-day lately here myself over this! There is a strong, hard lesson we can learn from these people who SING!
Absolutely, Barb! Thank you!
Any tears left anyone? Yes, a cry-a-day, or maybe a cry-a-minute have been the order of the day.
It’s all so overwhelming. So I thought I would share what has me cried out for the day:
My niece is in the Navy and is serving on the USNS Comfort Hospital ship, now anchored off the coast of Haiti.
She departed with less than 24 hours notice for what is currently an undetermined amount of time.
She, the crew, and the people of Haiti have been in our prayers for the obvious reasons, but she especially because…well, she is family, but also because she is a new mother.
She deployed knowing this humanitarian mission is her calling, her desire, and her duty–all while leaving behind her 7-month old daughter, whom she was still nursing.
So she happened to bring along her breast pump, which ended up being a fortuitous act because they are able to use her milk to feed a newborn who was found alive on the streets.
I cried absolute tears of joy for the simple grace of this act, tears of utter sadness for the plight of this newborn’s family, and tears of pride for the duty and sacrifice of my niece.
Keep up the thought provoking blog Dawn. It is wonderful to read.
Oh, my…what a sweet sacrifice your niece has made. And what good fortune for that innocent babe who was rescued. Tears of joy this morning, Catherine! Thank you for sharing!
I would just like to point out that Haiti was also poor before the earthquake, and nowhere near that many people cared at the time. Extreme poverty exists in a lot of countries, people die of starvation or dehydration or lack of medical care or freeze to death. It’s not just Haiti. If you can’t sleep now because Haiti people are dying, I don’t understand how you are able to sleep at any other time ever. During one day, 1000 people die of TB. 25,000 people of starvation. During the time you read this, 6 people have died of AIDS. What makes those people less deserving of “forgetting the rules”?
Hi, Anya. Thanks for commenting. I didn’t say I couldn’t sleep. I didn’t say Haiti wasn’t suffering prior to the earthquake. I didn’t say there wasn’t suffering and needless death in other countries. I’m sorry you seem to view an expression of compassion for one country as a total lack of it for others. I don’t hide my true thoughts in between the lines. I say what I mean, and I mean what I say. Sorry you don’t know me in order to know that. But, now you know, right? Have a blessed day!