Sad Week – Will We Ever Learn From History?

…based on what I have seen in New Orleans with the Katrina aftermath it does not seem likely.

The finger pointing has started, scapegoat(s) have been identified, and so it goes with the end result being the innocents who pay the price again. Everyone knew the situation New Orleans existed in for a long time and nobody stood up to the plate and addressed the issue. Now it is too late….again.

On a personal note my last grandparent passed away at the age of 95. We had the funeral on Friday. My maternal grandmother trickled away slowly in painful decay. It was not a gracious exit and by the end it was the best thing for her. It looks terrible when a thought such as this is put down in words but the truth is not concerned with sentiments. Oma did not have a connection with the world anymore. Her last years were poor due to her failing health and faculties.

She and her husband, Opa to me, went through an amazing period of time. Born before the Titanic sank, living through two World Wars, the Depression, and then moving from Holland to Canada to start a new life where technology advanced to the point that they saw a man walk on the moon. Through it all their values of family life such as love, compassion, empathy, and respect may have taken a beating from changing social mores but they were bent not broken.

A tough week on personal and large scale fronts. These two events will now forever be linked in my memories.

Compassion and hope be with the people in New Orleans.

Bye Oma.