In their shoes…

There’s a saying that goes something like this “do not judge a person until you have had a chance to walk in their shoes.”

Since yesterday afternoon,  I have been trying to imagine how would I feel if I were to be in the same situation that some of the people who were affected by the tornado outbreaks across the South, are facing right now.  It is even hard to start the thought process of putting myself into their shoes.  First, the fear of imagining if you are going to be death or alive after the storm is over, concerns over your family, friends, and pets;  what are you going to do to protect yourself and where are you going to go so you won’t get hurt.

After going through the process of the storm hitting your house, the wind, hail, lightning, and all the elements that take place during such an event, then the aftermath.  Having absolutely nothing when you come out.  It must be something surreal.  I guess nothing matters at that moment, except to know that you and yours are still around and are doing well.  It must be somewhat a paralyzing moment when you realize that all you worked for, everything you treasured, your purse, credit cards, your car, and all things that define you as an individual are nowhere to be found. 

Where do you start?  My imagination is limited to what comes next.  I cannot continue to imagine the scenario, because then my thinking process goes into a defense mechanism that jumps to questions about what I need to do to get prepared in case I will be faced with a situation such as that one in my future.  Just the thought is overwhelming.

If there is no bank, no ATM, no personal id, no supermarket, no water, no electricity, no food, absolutely nothing, all that is there is the goodwill of others.  Thanks God there is plenty of that all around.  Remember, always half full.  That’s why I always do my share whenever I am able, because as I said before, what I do for others, I am already doing it for myself.  Certified karma.

As to what can we do for these precious individuals that are facing right now the situation I just described;  we can pray, send good thoughts, and then support any cause that is lending a hand to the affected group of people.

As we have become a desensitized society that we think that because it is showing on the tele, it must be fiction, let’s remember, we could be one of them sometime in the future.

I am not lecturing anyone.  I always write for myself, because I feel I need to be reminded every so often about what life is all about and what my priorities should be as a member of our society.  If it happens to one of us, it has happened to us all.

So it was today…29th April, 2011…a day to remember…I will see you on Monday…You make it a good and happy weekend.

Your Happy Contessa

“Do unto others as you will hope they will do unto you.”  What we do for others, we do for ourselves. 

Picture taken by Kevin, my step-son.