January 22, 2025
I have a theory that people will show you who they
are, down to their soul, simply by the reaction they have to tragedy. More
specifically, by their reaction to tragedy that doesn’t affect them directly.
Two weeks ago yesterday, news began to reach the world
of a wildfire driven by record-breaking Santa Ana winds—hurricane force winds.
As the hours and the days played out, as the horror grew, all we could do—all I
could do—was to try and wrap my head around the magnitude of the tragedy unfolding
and pray.
I still haven’t been successful with the former. But
rather than thinking of my inability as a failure, I’ve decided that instead,
it’s a healthy sign of the quality of my moral fibre.
This isn’t the first time that we’ve seen the loss of
an entire community. A few years back, the fire that consumed Paradise,
California was a shock to the system and a harbinger of what was in store for
us all as a result of global warming brought on by climate change.
This is, however, the first time we are truly learning
the difference between an out-of-control forest fire and a brush fire that has
evolved into a wildfire. This latest blaze is the latter, not the former. And
the fact that it can consume neighborhoods, towns, and leave trees standing
is something new and strange and shocking.
Those of us still in full possession of our humanity find
ourselves challenged as never before. It shouldn’t surprise us that Mother
Nature is capable of setting us all in the dust in the blink of an eye. And yet,
it always does.
Tragedies are awful things. They are a cause of pain
and sorrow and almost unbearable grief. They destroy without rhyme or reason or
mercy. They are the great levelers, as those who are rich and those who are
poor are, in the midst of a shared tragedy, suddenly placed on an odd sort of
level playing field. This tragedy has shown us that famous folk and ordinary folk
are on the can stand side-be-side and view the ashes of their lives. So far as
I know, because I did check, no tech billionaires lost their houses, so there’s
that. The loss of a home transcends wealth, so I feel badly for anyone
who has had their living memories go up in flames.
What tragedies are not and should never be is fuel for
division and hatred, or tools to advance selfish interests. They are not anyone’s
free ticket to a fortune. And yet far too often they become all t hat and more.
In recent days, I have become aware of the attempts of some people to do so
even as the fires continue to burn.
In these tempestuous times in which we live, I’ve
decided on a path that is right for me. You see, I believe there is a
difference between truth and lies; I believe that lies told in the service of
self, or as a means of gaining power are not only wrong, but they’re also
sinful in the eyes of God. I believe there is a purpose to life, and it’s not
individual comfort. I believe that the most meaningful thing we can do is to
uplift each other. To help each other. Especially in times of tragedy.
Yes, I want comfort—financial, emotional, intellectual—for
my self. But I want that for everyone else, too. And I’ll tell you something
else I believe to the bottom of my soul.
When it comes to the species Homo sapiens, there is
only one race that matters, and that is the human race. I’m not saying we’re
all the same; it would be boring if we were all the same culture. I don’t think
the differences between us are fearful realities to be shunned or attacked. I
think our differences make us interesting. I don’t think some people are better
than others based on that which we cannot control, namely, biology. Character,
not color, tells the tale my friends.
And yes, I believe in the power of redemption and second
chances. After all, if we cannot forgive, how can we ever expect to be forgiven?
We are, all of us, God’s children. And we are truly,
all of us, in this together.
Love,
Morgan
http://www.bookstrand.com/morgan-ashbury
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