Asking Why Again

"When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, "Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping." To this day, especially in times of "disaster," I remember my mother's words and I am always comforted by realizing that there are still so many helpers – so many caring people in this world."     ~ Fred Rogers

This is the second time that I've posted this quote in a span of months. Another senseless act, another day of asking why some people feel they have the right to hurt others. All I can do is hope and pray things will get better.

I read something that comedian Patton Oswalt posted on his Facebook page yesterday and it resonated with me. The words that follow are his and not mine.

Boston. Fucking horrible. 

I remember, when 9/11 went down, my reaction was, "Well, I've had it with humanity."

But I was wrong. I don't know what's going to be revealed to be behind all of this mayhem. One human insect or a poisonous mass of broken sociopaths. 

But here's what I DO know. If it's one person or a HUNDRED people, that number is not even a fraction of a fraction of a fraction of a percent of the population on this planet. You watch the videos of the carnage and there are people running TOWARDS the destruction to help out. (Thanks FAKE Gallery founder and owner Paul Kozlowski for pointing this out to me). This is a giant planet and we're lucky to live on it but there are prices and penalties incurred for the daily miracle of existence. One of them is, every once in awhile, the wiring of a tiny sliver of the species gets snarled and they're pointed towards darkness. 

But the vast majority stands against that darkness and, like white blood cells attacking a virus, they dilute and weaken and eventually wash away the evil doers and, more importantly, the damage they wreak. This is beyond religion or creed or nation. We would not be here if humanity were inherently evil. We'd have eaten ourselves alive long ago. 

So when you spot violence, or bigotry, or intolerance or fear or just garden-variety misogyny, hatred or ignorance, just look it in the eye and think, "The good outnumber you, and we always will."

So again, I'm looking for the helpers and thanking God for them. I'm reminding myself that there is more good in this world than bad and I'm trying not to cry.

BlogHer Book Club - A Good American

I was really excited to receive A Good American to review because the story sounded so compelling. When it arrived, I immediately dove into the book and didn't surface until I'd read it all. After I read it, I turned back to the beginning and started all over again. Alex George did not disappoint.

James narrates the story of his family, beginning with his grandparents Frederick and Jette Meisenheimer, who immigrated to America from Germany to escape the stigma of an unplanned pregnancy. The paths they chose,people they meet, and their love of music and good food intertwine as they make their way in their new home. This tale comes together in a beautiful and sometimes heartbreaking way.

James says, "And so began my grandfather's rapturous love affair with America-an affair that would continue until the day he died."

Two things happened when I got to the end of this book. I was in a complete state of shock and I felt an overwhelming sense of loss. Shock because there is a twist that you never saw coming and loss because I truly was not ready to say goodbye to the Meisenheimer family.

I truly hope that Alex George plans to write more books. (Alex? PLEASE WRITE MORE BOOKS.)



This is a paid review for BlogHer Book Club but the opinions expressed are my own. If you'd like to join the book club discussion, visit http://www.blogher.com/good-american

p.s. Many apologies to the BlogHer Book Club and it's participants for the lateness of this review. My entire family (myself included) apparently contracted the Plague last week and are just now seeing the light at the end of the tunnel of sickness.