Showing you one image can be difficult because I do not want you to misunderstand. In one image a face is downturned and you think she is crying. But maybe she is laughing and you just can’t hear her. But sometimes all the images look the same, frame on frame the same look. Maybe a head turned to cry or worse, a head not turned toward anything, not even turned. Just a head floating in the world lost. She parts the curtain and her eyes do not look upward, but for a brief moment you do not see. His eyes too, the boy. The man remains reclined in the injustice of a destroyed home, the despondence of an empty face. He holds his head as if he says oh no not this again. Today the New York Times printed an article saying tents are not such a good idea and that “aid groups” are “de-emphasizing” the need for these portable, waterproof immediate shelters. Somehow I don’t think my friends living under these cotton sheets fearing the immanent rain share these “aid” workers judgement of their needs. Surely the “aid” workers don’t actually know what the need is like. I can’t say I know either but at least I laid down in these shelters, if you can call them by such a name. I sat a while. Here is the article http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/04/world/americas/04haiti.html?sudsredirect=true
So many pontificating about better ways and so few willing to take action with what is at hand. No matter what our stand on the “Issue” or plight of our friends in this disaster zone, let us agree on one thing, to stand in solidarity with brothers and sisters in the family of man who are without while many of of sit in plenty. Let us at least stand with them together.
Let us breathe the words of William Wordsworth as quoted to me by my friend Marissa Wang: “What though the radiance that was once so bright, Be now forever taken from my sight.Though nothing can bring back the hour of splendor in the grass, of glory in the flower,we will grieve not, rather find strength in what remains behind.”
Uploaded by: flip holsinger on 6th February, 2010.
You’re doing a GREAT job!! Keep it up!