Figmentations

On this day of remembrance of the 9-11 attacks and the ensuring military actions that followed, I find myself reflecting on a number of other similarly tragic events (both man-made and naturally-occurring) that have also occurred in this last decade. 

In my thoughts are the many people that continue to perish and suffer in the ongoing tragedies of life.

As I reflect, I think of the common criticism that often accompanies these sorts of events: that the hardest/largest hit area gets the most attention (e.g., be it aid, or media coverage,  or whatever).  Attention lasts until the event quickly gets overshadowed then forgotten as the next tragedy strikes and takes its place in the queue.  It seems to be a never-ending line.

We see evidence of that in the stories of : the Last man killed on 9/11/2001, the victims and survivors of the Indian Ocean Tsumani of 2004, Hurricane Katrina in 2005, the Hiatian earthquake in 2010, along with today’s six month anniversary of the Japan earthquake and Tsunami of 2011. and currently the 2011 Famine in The Horn of Africa.

In some cases, memorials are built to commemorate those lost in the tragedy.  In other situations, lives lost are barely blips on the radar in the tallier’s attempt to quantify the magnitude of the event, with some counts becoming historical facts while other counts forever remaining an indeterminable mystery.

A life is a life.  A life lost is a lost potential.  A life lost unnecessarily and/or preventable often spurs additional regrets and desires to take action.  Yet, the final body counts never make the losses any more or less significant, as tragic as large-scale events rightfully are. 

Still inevitably, the reality of day-to-day life and our own “survival” finds its way back to the forefront of our attention.

When I think of those tragic situations, the one epitath that comes to mind for myself would be this:  

If I am to die, at least let my death not be in vain. 

To me, tragic events are reminders to appreciate life, and realize that life is way too short. 

So, I continue to reflect….

Is there anything that I can do to make sure that my experiencing of these tragedies is not in vain either?  Is there a way to give these lost souls a voice?  Or, maybe I can find a way to channel these lost souls to empower and inspire a new voice in myself.

I sure hope I can rightfully do my part somehow somewhere along the line.