Good People

On March 11, 2011 a 9.0 magnitude earthquake happened just off the shore of Japan. It damaged many things (including several nuclear power plants that the country is still trying to keep under control as it threatens the leaking of radioactive substances) but nothing compared to the tsunami that followed with a 30 foot wall of water that swept away everything in its path...literally for miles! The footage that I have watched on tv makes me sick as I watch massive amounts of water sweep away everything and nothing can stop it. At this point the recovery effort is still underway and all we know is that thousands have died. I guess I'm writing about this because I want to remember it. I want to remember the footage that I am watching on news stations as they show the people of Japan and their patience. I love America. I do. But after seeing how these Japanese citizens have handled this terrible devastation, for once I am really ashamed of some of our citizens and how we have handled natural disasters. In 2005, Hurricane Katrina swept across some of our southern coastlines. The floods and deaths that followed were terrible and unfortunately, some American citizens reacted horribly. Later we learned of riots and looting and then we watched as person after person complained about how their government didn't do enough for them. I have no doubt that we could have done better. One can always do better but after watching these Japanese citizens handle their MUCH worse situation, I have realized just how spoiled some of us Americans are. I don't want to be that person. I want to remember all these images of this last tragedy if just only to remind me of gratitude. I am picturing images of people coming together after 9/11 and I hope that is the America that will respond in future natural disasters that will inevitably reach our shores someday.