resolutions + reflections

I was raised in a Catholic family & have attended Catholic school my whole life. Over the past few years I've kind of developed my own inward sense of spirituality, but I can't totally give up the traditions & lessons that have been instilled in me at a young age. One of those traditions that I always recognize year after year is the idea of a Lenten resolution. This year I had a particularly hard time coming up with one single thing, that I just decided to pass on making a sacrifice this year.

Then the Japanese earthquake occurred.

I didn't really get a chance to catch up on all of the events of this horrible disaster until Sunday afternoon. It was so heartbreaking & awful to finally see the devastation that those people are going through.  I've seen footage of a mother describing how she lost her grip on her young daughter & had to watch as she was washed away. I've seen very young school children rescued, but not knowing if their parents survived. There is story after story of the sick & elderly that had to be left behind. Earthquakes, tsunamis, nuclear radiation, thousands of lives lost -- it has just been non-stop for these poor people.

Disasters are always tough to watch & hear about, but this one in particular has left me so saddened. It's wonderful that we get to live in this age of amazing real-time technology, but it also brings this heartache & devastation right into your own home.

Stories & images like this can also really put your life into perspective though; which it did for me. I feel like I have been really crabby lately & have let the stress of being sick or having to work late really get to me. It's awful that something of this magnitude had to put me in my place, but it did. One thing that has amazed me through all of this is just how calm the people of Japan seem through all of this. It makes me feel so silly for complaining about my "hardships," so that's what I vow to change. I have an extremely blessed life & I need to try to keep that in perspective a little more often.

Sorry this post was a little heavy. Those might occur once in a while & this was an instance where I really wanted to say something. I just really hope you all can help out these people. Even if all it is is sending one simple text or offering up some prayers.

(via)