Lovely lyrics by Jack Johnson.  I remember hearing this line with my sister once, and we both nodded our heads, pondering that question.  Are people, Americans in general, immune to devastation?  You see, I cry often.  I'm a baby some would say (I say that I care).  I remember sitting in a classroom on Sept. 11'th while the popular girls said "why do we have to watch this?" while I quietly cried in the back.  The day after Christmas in 2004, I came to my mother and we just held eachother, crying, asking why?   And this past January, while people I know posted their bra colors on facebook, I felt attached to NPR, wishing so badly I could help more in Haiti.  But bra colors matter, don't you know.

I've been talking to a friend who is in Thailand right now (Katie- Miles!).  He is in the middle of the riots and violence in Bankok, seeing first hand the government call women and children who dare to protest 'terrorists'.   And I bring this up to people here in the United States, and about three quarters of them have no clue what I am talking about. 

3 Responses to “ Abre los ojos ”

1. 
   this.is.katie
   May 24, 2010 at 6:20 AM

   this entry is another reason why I LOVE YOU! :) see, you do care. you are one of the few people in this world who sympathize with those who have no choice.
   
   I read that post by that girl on your FB about the oil spill. I wanted to write her back even though I have no clue who she is. I just couldn't believe she wrote that. she is so clueless. does she really believe millions of barrels of oil are NATURAL? stupid girl. I almost feel sorry for her.
   
   and that is awesome about Miles. why exactly is he there?? It's talking to people like that who really put the world into perspective for us. and that is so good. it makes me feel like I could do more... but I guess the fact that we recognize what is going on, is a step in the right direction.
   I would NEVER want to close my eyes to the world and pretend that our world is the only one that matters.
   
   Thank you for posting this. :)

2. 
   Anonymous
   May 24, 2010 at 10:34 AM

   i can relate to this from both sides...sometimes the reality of all of the bad in the world is too much. i'm afraid if i take it all in i'll go crazy. like hospitalized crazy. because there is so much bad. so much sadness. at the same time, people's priorities are so out of whack. like the bra colors thing. it's like, 'really??' i don't think it's good for us either way, to take it all in or to ignore it all. it's about finding the comfortable balance. (and i should've known you liked jack johnson. he's one of my favs.) what's going on in the gulf right now is heartbreaking. and even more heartbreaking is the lack of news coverage here. instead they're talking about the latest type of facelift or something like that on the 11p news. it's so dumb..
   
   hang in there, friend.
   xo, em

3. 
   April
   May 25, 2010 at 6:51 PM

   Katie - aw, thank you so much, I love you too! That girl on facebook is so weird, she came to work saying "our founding fathers are rolling over in their grave!" when the healthcare bill passed. And Miles is over there studying I think (?). Can't wait to see you very very soon! I'm glad this post wasn't too depressing haha.
   
   Em - I agree, finding a comfortable spot in the middle of all this nonsense is the right idea. There are days I get so involved in the devastation I too wonder when I'll be hospitalized haha. Brad probably wonders too.. ;)

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