These emails are usually an attempt at being funny. But out of respect for the sadness in China and Myanmar:

“If one is estranged from oneself, then one is estranged from others too. If one is out of touch with oneself, then one cannot touch others.”   Anne Lindbergh

Waking up this morning, I saw the most heartwrenching image on the cover of the newspaper (see above photo). It’s a photo of a couple carrying away their deceased child from the earthquake wreckage in China. You might agree that it’s such an awful feeling, to view the couples’ distraught facial expressions. In addition to the suspected loss of over 120,000 people in Myanmar, this tragedy puts everything into perspective.

Lately I’ve been worrying about solidifying my workshop schedule, refinancing my astronomical mortgage, bootstrapping the resources and energy to redo my website, cleaning out my office closet. But all those problems; they are nothing compared to the torturous emotions that must be ripping thru the hearts of the parents in the photo.

I don’t share this photo to make you feel guilty but rather to encourage a reordering of priorities. If right this second you can embrace those you love, knowing they are alive and well; be grateful. If right this second you can move your arms in front of you because they are not buried under the concrete of collapsed buildings; be grateful. If right this second you can open your eyes and see your computer screen rather than floodravaged destruction; be grateful.

This is not to say, “Thank God I’m not living in China.” Rather, it’s my thinking out loud how to cope with the helplessness I feel watching the awful stories on the news and the sad reports in the morning paper. There’s no doubt that making donations and trekking to China and Myanmar are heroic actions. But sometimes the greatest help you can provide in times of tragedy is improving your own attitude and perspective.

Be nicer, more generous. Love fully, without hesitation.  Breathe deeply, slow down.

Human beings are like fragile little ants beneath the furious Footsteps we call Cyclones and Earthquakes. But don’t be scared to die. “Everyone dies. Not everyone really lives.”