Gratitude, blessings, and tragedy

 

Thinking tonight about the many blessings so many of us enjoy. We’ve been eating high on the hog around here lately—a ribeye steak dinner with sour cream mashed potatoes one night, a delicious squash casserole another because someone brought me fresh squash from a farmer’s market, tonight a carefully made BLT—it still fell apart but did better than many I’ve made, and it was so good.

And while much of the world is sweltering going about their business in days that are 107 and 108, I am comfortable and happy in my cottage, never sticking my nose out in the heat. Oh, it gets a bit warm in the late afternoon, but it’s not bad. And Sophie sleeps contentedly in whatever room I choose to be in. She sleeps on her side, which is supposed to be a relaxed position indicating she feels perfectly safe.

So here we are, with our petty First World problems. And then I think of the people of Lahaina. Like many of you, I have been there. In truth, it wasn’t my favorite place in Hawaii—Jordan and I had come from Kauai, which I thought was magical. Lahaina, to me, was T-shirt shops and restaurants all with the same food, and a resort hotel indistinguishable from others.

But in the days since the fire, I have learned of other sides of that iconic town—it was home for many, and now those homes and all in them are gone. Beyond that Lahaina has a storied history as the capital of the kingdom of Hawaii. As one scholar said, “It is a place where the past is always present.” Hawaiian kings and queens are buried there, and buildings along Front Street, some 150 years old, traced the history of the kingdom. But they are destroyed or severely damaged now. The banyan tree, planted to commemorate the establishment of the first mission on Maui (perhaps a dubious reason for celebration considering much of Hawaii’s history) is now burnt and stark, though we are told the roots survive, and the famous tree will flourish again. As of tonight, fifty-nine people are dead and untold numbers are missing.

One thing that strikes me about this catastrophic tragedy is that it shouldn’t have happened. We don’t expect a fire to wipe out a city in this day and age. Somehow, I have the comforting thought that modern firefighting techniques and dedicated firefighters will be able to stop any fire before it destroys an entire town. And yet, a few years back, we saw towns in West Texas wiped out by wildfires. The Lahaina fire was fanned by high winds, a phenomenon that we, for all our technology, cannot control. Such destruction should make us realize we are still vulnerable, still not in control. It should humble us.

The pictures of the devastation, the individual stories of survivors, the pleas of families who cannot locate loved ones are heartbreaking. And the online postings asking for help are compelling. It’s nice to know that Jeff Bezos has pledged $100 million to the recovery, but as posts make clear, any and all donations, however small, are solicited.

And that brings me to a point that has bothered me for some time. My instinct is to write the biggest check I can (after checking to differentiate true Maui rescue groups from scams), but the truth is I am besieged by so many needy causes. Every picture of a hungry child or an abused dog tears at my heartstrings. The pictures of people trying to flee some African countries in boats bring me to tears. So many worthy causes present someone like me, with limited ability to give, with a dilemma: is it better to choose one cause and donate a significant amount or to donate a bit here and a bit there.

When my father died, we discovered he had been sending $5 a month to countless charities and political causes, many of which we had never heard of. So far, I follow a moderated form of his giving, but oh to have Bezos’ funds at hand.

Politicians beg us for just $5 or even just $3 (though then the giving screen often shows $25 as the lowest gift, which is sort of a come-on). But I have the same problem with politicians as I do with charities—I have a list, relatively long, of moderate to liberal politicians who I think would make real contributions to the country should they be elected. But how do I choose? For instance, almost every Democratic senatorial candidate will tell you keeping the Senate depends on their race. How do we know? A friend who is a political consultant advised me to give to lesser-known races and not California where, he assured me, there is plenty of money. But I sure would like to see McCarthy defeated.

Politics aside, may God bless the people of Maui, both those in Lahaina and the other areas affected by wildfires. Recovery will be slow, but pray it will be steady, with Federal help already promised. And perhaps the banyan tree as an enduring symbol for hope.