Friday 1 April 2011

Where's Superman when you need him?

This is not the blog I had in mind, and it comes at the end of a terrible few weeks both local to where I live and internationally. It has been unlike any that I have ever known, with the exception of the 9/11 bombings.
 
A week ago a 6 year old boy and his mother were hit by a bus as they walked to school in a village near to where I live. The terrible accident was witnessed by a friend of mine. Sadly the little boy lost his life as a result of head injuries whilst his mother sustained major injuries. My friend was courageous and stayed with the mum who was trapped for 2 hours whilst the emergency services worked to free her. To my friend, who I know is traumatised by this, I say "Courage, you will get through this". To the family and friends who have lost a child so young, words fail me. What words can I say to people I don't know whose world has been turned upside-down that will lessen the pain, shock and grief they are going through? [The little boy was laid to rest on 2nd April, my thoughts and prayers are with his parents and sister.]

And like everyone else I can't help but be horrified at the terrible destruction mother nature has wrought upon the people of both Christchurch NZ and Japan. It has truly been the stuff of an American blockbuster movie, but sadly this is no such blockbuster. This is real life and real human beings have suffered terrible hardship. If the American blockbuster movies were real, Superman would have appeared by now to save the mother who was swept away by the advancing tsunami as they raced to cross a road so that she and her children could reach a place of safety. If the American blockbuster movies were real, Superman would have appeared by now and whipped up an almighty funnel of sea water and directed it at the Japanese nuclear power plant headed towards meltdown. If the American blockbuster movies were real, Superman would have appeared out of nowhere with muscles bulging and cape flowing to stop the earth moving in the way it did on that fateful day. Superman would have prevented one of the worst earthquakes ever recorded with the result of whole towns being wiped off the face of the earth and thousands loosing their lives. He would have prevented the terrible damage done to the beautiful city of Christchurch NZ, a few weeks before. My heart truly goes out to those who have lost their loved ones. I truly do feel for those who were already suffering hardship in the form of chronic disabling ill health such as Parkinson's or MS, to then loose everything as the earth moved and the tsunami struck. The real Supermen and Superwomen of the 21st Century are those fighting to stop the biggest nuclear meltdown in history. They have put their own lives at risk to save the lives of thousands of people. I just hope their valiant efforts are adequately recognised and rewarded by the Japanese government.

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